Nakhthorheb, Priest and Magician of Hermopolis Parva

This imposing statue depicts Nakhthorheb, a high-ranking noble and priest from Hermopolis Parva in the eastern Delta. He kneels in eternal devotion, hands resting upon his thighs, dressed in a pleated kilt and wearing a bag-shaped wig, his face composed in serene concentration. The statue’s inscription, written in clear hieroglyphs, offers prayers to the god Thoth, lord of wisdom and patron of Hermopolis, and identifies Nakhthorheb as one of the most accomplished men of his generation.

His titles are numerous and illustrious: “Prince, Noble, Companion of His Majesty, Controller of the Ceremonial Palace, Overseer of Secrets in the House of the Opening of the Mouth, Chief of Magicians in the House of Life, and Director of Scribes.” He was also known as “The Mouth of Buto,” a title linking him to the ancient northern cult of the cobra-goddess Wadjet, protector of kingship. His mother, Tasnakht, is named with affection in the inscription; a rare but touching gesture of filial honour.

The 26th Dynasty, often called Ancient Egypt’s Saite Renaissance, was a time of revival in art, learning, and religion. Sculptors looked back to the purity of Old Kingdom forms, as seen in the calm symmetry and idealised musculature of this statue. Yet the individuality of Nakhthorheb still emerges; a man of learning and spiritual authority, one who combined the roles of scribe, magician, and ritual overseer at a temple dedicated to Thoth.

Carved from lustrous silicified sandstone and measuring at 148 cm, the statue’s surface still bears the subtle polish of the craftsman’s chisel. It embodies both piety and intellect: the image of a man whose wisdom bridged the worlds of gods and men, kneeling forever in the presence of the divine.

Summary:

Kneeling Silicified Sandstone Statue of Nakhthorheb, Priest and Magician of Hermopolis Parva

Late Period, 26th Dynasty, reign of Psammetichus II (Neferibre), c. 595–589 B.C.

From Hermopolis Parva (Lower Egypt)

Musée du Louvre