Egypt Museum ancient Egypt art culture and history

Imti

This wooden figure depicts Imti as a youth. Dating from around 1900-1800 B.C., it dates from the Middle Kingdom. It is inscribed with a funerary prayer, “Revered before Osiris, Imti, the blessed.” Imti is depicted as a youth, striding forth, nude, wearing only a necklace and cuffs. Children were often (but not always) depicted with...

Quartzite torso of Meketaten

Meketaten was born approximately in Year 4 of Akhenaten’s reign to him and his Great Royal Wife, Nefertiti. She had an elder sister, Meritaten, and four younger sisters: Ankhesenpaaten, Neferneferuaten Tasherit, Neferneferure and Setepenre. Tutankhaten was likely their full brother or half-brother through their father. The first known depiction of Meketaten is on the walls...

Amarna Princess

This small limestone statuette depicts a daughter of king Akhenaten and Nefertiti. She is depicted with a “side lock” of youth, protruding from a cap crown, seemingly made of layered beads. A “side lock” of youth is the modern term coined by Egyptologists to recognize this specific hairstyle, which was often worn by children or...

Amarna calf

This talatat from Amarna depicts a farmer with his hand within a cow’s mouth, it is likely the farmer is helping the calf to digest its food. Agriculture was the most important thing to cultures of the ancient world, and Egypt was no different. A major part of the Egyptian religion or spirituality itself was...

Nehy

Inscription: Everything which goes forth before the lords of the necropolis: bread, beer, oxen and fowl, wine, incense, libation-water and all good and pure things for the Ka of the Osiris, the Mistress of the House, the Chantress of the Mistress of Heaven, She of the Southern Sycamore (Hathor), Nehy, True of Voice. Nehy was...

The baker Djehuty

This double seated statue of an 18th Dynasty baker and his wife Ahhotep is made of limestone. The couple’s children appear upon the sides of their seat. Remnants of paint remain upon the figures of both Djehuty and Ahhotep. They are wearing their finest linens, Djehuty wears a wrap around shendyt that is pulled up...

Ta-Reti

This cartonnage coffin belongs to a woman called Tanetreti-Scherit or “Ta-Reti”, and she was an Ancient Egyptian “Chantress of Amun”, somewhere between, 1070-713 B.C. Ta-reti came from a family of priests and singers or “Chantresses“. Her father was a man named Ankhpakhered (whose title is upon her coffin), who held the title of “Gatekeeper of...

Middle Kingdom Man

This figure of a man is 15 7/8 inches tall with base (40.4 cm), and depicts a male in traditional Middle Kingdom. Carved out of wood, interestingly, the different parts of the body were created separately and then placed together via nails. After this, they were plastered over and painted. The man is currently unknown,...

The superintendent Tef-Ib

“The revered before Dwe-mutf, the Domain-Superintendent, Itf-ib, engendered by Itf-ib, the blessed, Lord of Reverence.” These wooden figures of a man named Tef-Ib were discovered within his tomb. Although all representing Tef-Ib, they also hold the inscriptions of the Four Sons of Horus, usually associated with the Canopic jars, as they were deemed protectors of...

Inet, wife of Iry

Inet, wife of Iry

This limestone low relief depicts Inet, wife of Iry, in front of four smaller figures who are possibly Inet’s children; three women and boy.A funerary formula adorns the top of the scene. Summary:Limestone funerary relief of Inet, wife of IryOld Kingdom, 4th Dynasty, c. 2613-2494 B.C.From Giza. British Museum. EA1170