Both of these faïence depictions of royal headdresses date from the late 18th Dynasty to possibly early 19th Dynasty. The first, is likely to have been depicted upon the head of a late 18th Dynasty queen, and next is the round crown, as seen adorning the head of kings such as King Amenhotep III. Lavender...
King Mentuhotep II being embraced by the falcon-god of war Montu (no longer visible) Middle Kingdom, 11th Dynasty, c. 2055-2004 B.C. Temple of Mentuhotep, Deir el-Bahari. Limestone relief of Mentuhotep II: this section of raised relief shows Mentuhotep II, wearing the red crown of Lower Egypt, embraced by the god Montu. Montu embraces the king...
This golden scarab dates from approximately 1980–1801 B.C., during the Middle Kingdom period of Ancient Egypt. It was purchased from Mohammed Mohasseb and Son, in Luxor, by Lucy Olcott Perkins through Henry W. Kent and now resides at the Cleveland Museum of Art. It is 1.1 cm and weighs 1.6 g (0.06 oz.). The scarab...
The ostracon of Seti I is quite a rarity to behold, as a stubbled faced king is a rather peculiar sight in Ancient Egyptian art. Historians suggest the beard is a sign of mourning, growing out a beard is still common practices for mourning in varied cultures around the world until this very day. French...
A cartonnage mummy mask belonging to a High Official found in the Asyut Necropolis of Upper Egypt. The mummy dates from the 11th-12th Dynasty of the Middle Kingdom, c. 2000-1980 B.C. The mask is now on display at The Walters Art Museum. 78.4 Another mummy mask with a similar bearded style was also discovered in...
This statue of a man called Keki, believed to be a courtier in Ancient Egypt’s Old Kingdom, is a wonderful example of Old Kingdom craftsmanship and fashion. The pencil moustache was seemingly popular among those elite and rich enough to have statues of such quality made of themselves, as the facial hair appears quite often,...
The Scribe of the Place of Truth, Amennakht (New Kingdom, 20th Dynasty, c. 1170 B.C.) kneels before the goddess Meretseger, “She who loves silence”. Amennakht, is in praise of Meretseger who sits before him on a throne of red, blue and orange. She is wearing a red dress and a cuff on her upper left...
In the spiritual landscape of Ancient Egypt, the sycamore tree (“nehet” in the Ancient Egyptian tongue) held a place of deep reverence. More than a mere provider of shade in the searing sun, the sycamore was seen as the Tree of Life, a sacred conduit between the earthly and the divine. It was believed to...
This collection of stringed blue faïence star amulets was found at el-Lisht, the funerary site of Middle Kingdom royal and elite burials. The region was originally excavated by the French Egyptologist Gaston Maspero in 1882. The stringed star amulets were discovered in 1920-22, during the MMA excavations taking place at the time. They could date...
This obsidian head, an exquisite example of Egyptian craftsmanship, was part of a full-length statue depicting King Senwosret III. The king is wearing a nemes headdress, with the sacred serpent (uraeus), representing regal and divine might. In this representation, the artist portrays the sense of a firm yet extremely human figure, showing the load of...
