Egypt Museum ancient Egypt art culture and history

Striding girl labelled with the name, “Tama”.

This wooden statuette of a young woman or girl called Tama, dates from the 18th Dynasty and was discovered at Medinet Gurob. Gurob, also known as Ghurab, Medinet Gurob or Kom Medinet Gurob is an archaeological site in Egypt, close to the Faiyum. In the New Kingdom it was the place of a palace and...

Coffin of Besenmut, Priest of Montu at Thebes. British Museum. EA22940

Besenmut, Priest of Montu at Thebes

This is the anthropoid wooden coffin of a man called Besenmut, who was a Priest of Montu at the Theban Temple. Dating from the 26th Dynasty, c. 664-525 B.C. also known as the Sais Dynasty or Saite Period, which was the last true Native Egyptian ruling Dynasty of the Ancient Egyptian empire before the later conquests of the Persian and Greeks, which eventually led to the collapse of Ancient Egypt under Roman rule.

Egyptian rock crystal hippopotamus amulet

Egyptian rock crystal hippopotamus amulet

The face of this unique rock crystal hippopotamus amulet is carved with naturalistic features, the heavily proportioned body surmounted by an integral suspension loop with a modern gold wire added. It was used as a protective charm or symbol in ancient Egyptian culture.

Head of Tutankhamun or Ankhesenamun

Head of Tutankhamun or Ankhesenamun

This plaster face, dating from the reign of Akhenaten or shortly after his reign ended, is thought to represent a child of the king. The British Museum, where this face resides, has the face archived, identifying it with the likeness of either Tutankhamun or his sister-wife Ankhesenamun. Ankhesenamun, was one of the six daughters of...

Coffin of Takhebkhenem, Lady of the House, daughter of Pedikhons

Coffin of Takhebkhenem, Lady of the House, daughter of Pedikhons

This coffin, belonging to a woman called Takhebkhenem, is made of wood, with polychrome painted decoration. The British Museum notes that, “the vignettes, which are executed in a very conservative style, show the deceased carrying a sistrum before Osiris, her mummy on a bier, and a strange hawk-headed kneeling figure, described as Osiris, there is...

Head of a Middle Kingdom Dignitary or Priest. Met Museum. 02.4.191

Head of a Middle Kingdom Dignitary or Priest

This head was originally part of a colossal (larger than life) statue of a dignitary or priest, dating from approximately 1700–1600 B.C., making it a Middle Kingdom or Early Second Intermediate piece. It is not known if he was seated or standing. Now at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, this statue was...

Stela dedicated by Ramose to the goddess Qadesh, shown between Min and Reshep

Goddess Qetesh

The functions of Qetesh in Egyptian religion are hard to determine due to lack of direct references, but her epithets (especially the default one, “lady of heaven”) might point at an astral character, and lack of presence in royal cult might mean that she was regarded as a protective goddess mostly by commoners. Known sources...

Statue of Isis of Coptos

Statue of Isis of Coptos

Statue of the goddess Isis, so-called “Isis of Coptos”. She wears a tripartite wig with uraeus. The sun disc and cow’s horns identify the sculpture as Isis or Hathor. Her dress is Egyptian in style and sheath-like in appearance, and around her neck she wears an incised collar of beads.

Canopic case & jars of Gua

Canopic chest & jars of Gua

This wooden chest with four painted Egyptian alabaster canopic jars belongs to somebody called Gua. They date from the 12th Dynasty of Ancient Egypt’s Middle Kingdom, approximately, 1939-1760 B.C. Discovered in Deir el-Bersha, they are inscribed with funerary texts on behalf of Gua, invoking the Four Sons of Horus, Isis, Nephthys, Selket and Neith. Three of the jars retain remains of linen packages inside.

Amethyst scarab inscribed with hieroglyphs. The Louvre. E 25729

Amethyst scarab inscribed with hieroglyphs

This vibrant purple amethyst scarab beetle is said to be found in Tomb IV at Jebail in Lebanon, according to Montet 1928. However, it is impossible to establish the exact provenance of this beetle (cf. Martin 1996). The scarab is beautifully inscribed on its back with name ‘Impy’ and hieroglyphic signs including ka sign, nefer and lotus sign.