A Felt Cap from Soknopaiou Nesos (El-Fayyum)

A felt cap, probably a pileus, was found during the archaeological excavations at Dime es-Seba (Fayyum, Egypt). It was discovered inside the building ST 10, the temple kitchen used in the Roman period, at least until the mid-second century AD, where it was probably discarded. The article presents the result of the study on the artifact and some hypotheses on its function. The interpretative analysis is based on comparisons with similar items discovered in archaeological sites in Egypt. Furthermore, written and iconographic sources are examined to highlight the use and the symbolic value of the pileus in Roman culture.