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Beadnet dress: A 4,500-year-old ancient Egyptian funeral 'gown' that was in vogue during the Old Kingdom

April 06, 2026 • 5 min read • views
Beadnet dress: A 4,500-year-old ancient Egyptian funeral 'gown' that was in vogue during the Old Kingdom
  1. Archaeology
  2. Ancient Egyptians
Beadnet dress: A 4,500-year-old ancient Egyptian funeral 'gown' that was in vogue during the Old Kingdom

Features By Kristina Killgrove published 6 April 2026

This rare example of an ancient Egyptian beaded dress was likely crafted specifically for a woman's funeral.

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a mannequin wearing an ancient Egyptian beaded dress made of faience

This ancient Egyptian beadnet dress was fashionable back when the pyramids were built. (Image credit: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (Public Domain))QUICK FACTS

Name: Beadnet dress

What it is: A beaded funeral dress

Where it is from: Giza, Egypt

When it was made: Circa 2551 to 2528 B.C.

According to the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, which has this dress and several other examples of beadnet objects in its collection, the net was made from linen string and faience — a glazed ceramic made from finely crushed quartz. In this case, before firing, the faience paste was mixed with copper, which turned the beads blue and blue-green to mimic the semiprecious stones lapis lazuli and turquoise.

The midi-length beadnet features a diamond-patterned skirt and an empire-waist bodice made with rows of vertically strung faience beads. The dress is topped with a neckline of beads in concentric circles, and the bottom features a beaded fringe of mitre shells (sea snails). The completed beadwork net was likely draped over a linen dress or sewn directly onto it, rather than worn by itself.

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Since Egyptian faience beads are quite fragile, the dress may have been worn only on special occasions, or it might have been made specifically for the woman's funeral, according to Tom Hardwick, an Egyptologist at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. The blue and green on the dress may symbolize the Nile River and springtime, both of which were tied to the Egyptian idea of resurrection in the afterlife, according to Hardwick.

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This beadnet dress is the earliest surviving example of the style, according to MFA Boston. Only about two dozen beadnet dresses exist in museums around the world. Two have been reconstructed at MFA Boston, and one has been reconstructed at the Petrie Museum at University College London. When ancient Egyptian clothing specialist Janet Johnstone, a clothing consultant who specializes in the interpretation and construction of ancient Egyptian clothing, reconstructed the Petrie Museum beadnet dress, she discovered that it was far too heavy to be worn regularly. (For anyone who wants to test their own beadnet sewing skills, Johnstone has provided a basic DIY guide.)

In the New Kingdom period (1550 to 1070 B.C.), the beadnet dress appears to have gone out of fashion while simpler beaded nets rose in popularity as grave goods. These "bead cloaks" have been found on top of New Kingdom mummies, revealing that beaded accessories remained an important part of ancient Egyptian funeral rituals for centuries.

For more stunning archaeological discoveries, check out our Astonishing Artifacts archives.

Sign up for the Live Science daily newsletter nowContact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. TOPICS astonishing artifacts Kristina KillgroveKristina KillgroveSocial Links NavigationStaff writer

Kristina Killgrove is a staff writer at Live Science with a focus on archaeology and paleoanthropology news. Her articles have also appeared in venues such as Forbes, Smithsonian, and Mental Floss. Kristina holds a Ph.D. in biological anthropology and an M.A. in classical archaeology from the University of North Carolina, as well as a B.A. in Latin from the University of Virginia, and she was formerly a university professor and researcher. She has received awards from the Society for American Archaeology and the American Anthropological Association for her science writing.

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