This splendid funerary mask once adorned the mummy-shaped coffin of king Amenemope, a little-known but intriguing sovereign of Egypt’s 21st Dynasty. Fashioned from thick sheets of hammered gold, the mask was crafted to immortalise the features of the king with idealised serenity and timeless radiance. The visage is round and youthful, framed by a regal...
When it was found among the mummy’s hair, this gold armlet of Ahhotep I was thought to be a crown. Because of its diameter, however, it is certain that it was to be worn round the arm for protection. The armlet is inlaid with lapis lazuli and carnelian and decorated with vulture of gold and...
The statue offers a naturalistic treatment of the eyes and mouth and is found in the sculptures of Nofret and in this unsubscribed bust attributed to King Senusret II. During the reign of Senusret II, the image of the king was transformed both textually and visually, with signs of age appearing that include a wrinkled...
The peseshkef was a disntictive type of knife that was split at one end and is sometimes called a “fishtail” knife today. This fine-grained flint wand is inscribed with the name of Khufu. Ritual wands were used in the Opening of the Mouth Ceremony to allow the deceased to eat and drink once more; this...
This masterpiece amethyst scarab bracelet associated with Tutankhamun was found in a beautiful cartouche shaped box with other fine pieces of jewelry. The main element in the design is the light violet amethyst scarab with details, as is common with scarabs of this hard stone, which was considered a precious gemstone in ancient Egypt. It...
This family statue depicts Nykara, whose title is Scribe of the Granary, seated between the two standing figures of his wife and son. If Nykara were shown standing, his dimensions are such that he would tower over the other two figures. Also, although the boy’s nakedness, sidelock of youth, and finger-to-mouth gesture indicate that he...
On the large silver-tin alloy signet ring the prenomen of Ramesses IV appears—Hekamaat-re’ (“Re Is the Ruler of Maat“). In the lower half are several hieroglyphs—djed (“stability”), hes (“praise”), and hetep (“peace” or “satisfaction”)—that probably serve a decorative or amuletic function because they do not comprise a logical text. Likewise, the semi-hemispherical nb hieroglyph at...
This relief shows a beautiful, delicately carved depiction of an unknown Ancient Egyptian Nobleman, dating from the 19th or 20th Dynasty. It is believed that this fragment may have come from a tomb in Saqqara. With the lingering of the Amarna Period artistic revolution still in memory, the Egyptian need to forget the reign of...
This rectangular box with djed and tyet signs was found in the annex of the tomb of Tutankhamun. It stands on four slim elegant legs and the panels are made of cedar wood. At the bottom of the box is an alternating decoration of fretwork hieroglyphs. The Tyet sign, the symbol of the blood of...
A lotus flower shaped pendant once belonged to the Vizier Imhotep, a high official in the royal court of King Thutmose I. Excavated by Ernesto Schiaparelli and Francesco Ballerini from his tomb (QV46), Valley of the Queens, Thebes. The lotus was shown throughout Egypt in tombs and temples to symbolize the union of Upper and...
