Sennedjem (“The one who pleases”) lived during the late 18th Dynasty through the 19th Dynasty, working under Seti I and Ramesses II (c. 1290–1250 B.C.). He held the title “Servant in the Place of Truth” (sḏm-ʿš m st-mꜣꜥt), which means he was a craftsman of the royal necropolis, living at Deir el-Medina. His work involved...
Both in life and death, the Ancient Egyptians adorned their world with plants whose meanings reached far beyond the garden. Flowers and fruits were not merely decorative, they were potent symbols, bearing associations of love, fertility, regeneration, and eternal life. In the imagery of tombs, such flora carried a language of their own, one that...
Ornaments of the King Beyond the gilded colonnades and perfumed courts, within the hidden chambers of Ancient Egypt’s royal palaces, lay a world that was both political theatre and domestic intrigue. Far from being merely a place of idle indulgence, the royal harem was a stage upon which Egypt’s foreign policy, dynastic anxieties, and ideals...
This pylon, or gateway, was discovered at Tell el-Amarna. It is related to the cult of the royal family, which has been noticed in steles found in private houses at Amarna. It was believed that the royal family acted as intermediaries between the gods and the people. This example is a household altar, or shrine,...
This delicate conical vessel, carved from translucent quartz crystal, dates to the reign of Khufu during Egypt’s Old Kingdom, Dynasty 4 (2551–2528 B.C.). Measuring a mere 4.2 cm in height and 4.3 cm in diameter, the cup bears a small nick along its rim and traces of yellow-brown staining upon its side and base, the...
This monumental cylinder seal is far larger than the practical seals used in Egypt and the Near East, which were typically only a few centimetres in length. Its great size and weight reveal that it was not intended for daily use, but rather served as a ceremonial or symbolic object. The seal is made of...
This amulet, made of green glazed composition (faience), takes the unusual form of a quadruple Wedjat-eye. The convex face shows four protective eyes surrounding a central rosette, while the reverse is flat but also bears a Wedjat-eye. Pierced longitudinally, it was once strung for wear, ensuring the constant presence of its protective powers. The Wedjat,...
The Late Period was an age of revival and resilience. Egypt, long assailed by foreign powers, turned back to its roots, drawing upon the splendours of Old and Middle Kingdom traditions while also glancing outward to the new world of Greece. This sculpture captures that delicate balance. Images of private women were rarely granted permanence...
This sandstone relief comes from the early reign of Amenhotep IV (later known as Akhenaten) and based upon the style it is believed this relief was from Karnak Temple, prior to the founding of the experimental capital of Akhetaten (Amarna). Early in his reign, Amenhotep IV (Akhenaten), like many kings before him, undertook ambitious building...
The pyramids of Kush at Meroë, dating from around 300 B.C. to A.D. 350, are markedly smaller than their Egyptian counterparts but possess a distinctive elegance of their own. Ranging in height from approximately 6 to 30 metres (20 to 100 feet), with base widths typically between 6 and 12 metres (20 to 40 feet),...
In this finely carved relief, Seti I stands reverently before the enthroned Ra-Horakhty, the composite solar deity crowned with the sun disk and uraeus. The king’s right hand is raised in a delicate gesture: with his little finger, he touches the divine cobra, symbol of celestial fire and royal authority. Far from a casual motion,...
Maru-Aten was not a palace in the traditional domestic sense, but more a ritual garden estate with strong royal and possibly sacred associations. While Princess Meritaten (daughter of Akhenaten & Nefertiti) may have resided there temporarily, but it wasn’t likely a full-time domestic residence like a proper palace, more so a retreat rather than a permeant household.
This striking painting shows multiple black jackal figures, often interpreted as manifestations of Anubis or related necropolis deities, facing the foreman Inherkhau. Each jackal wears a red ribboned collar and stands poised, ears alert and snouts extended in a supernatural confrontation. The tripartite representation may symbolise divine guardianship over all regions of the necropolis; east,...
