Egypt Museum ancient Egypt art culture and history

Alabaster statue of King Seti, once at Egyptian Museum, Cairo, now at the Luxor Musuem. JE 36692 / CG 42139

Statue of Seti I

Once in a weary state, this alabaster masterpiece was discovered dismantled within a cache at Karnak Temple (Luxor, Egypt). It appears that upon the ancient dismantling, the inlaid stones which once filled the eye and eyebrow sockets were removed, as were the likely real and pure golden cuffs that adorned the king’s wrists, placed strategically...

Sandstone sunken relief of an Amarna woman

Relief of an Amarna Woman

This sandstone sunken relief of a woman dates from the Amarna Period, and it is easy to tell the era she is from due to the style in which she is depicted. The artistic manner is most definitely from the period of Akhenaten’s experimental reign, however, this piece was actually found in Thebes and not...

Parennefer receiving reward in the form of necklaces, from king Akhenaten and Great Royal Wife Nefertiti.

Relief of Parennefer

Parennefer was a close advisor to Prince Amenhotep IV (King Akhenaten), before he became king. Once Amenhotep IV, or rather, King Akhenaten, took the throne, Parennefer served as his personal Royal Butler, and worked closely as a confidant to the king. In the age of Akhenaten, it was Akhenaten who was the representation of Ma’at...

Statue of Snofru-nefer

Statue of Snofru-nefer, a court official

The statue of Snofru-nefer is a prime example for demonstrating the fundamental principles of the Egyptian sculptor. He was the principal singer and the overseer of amusements at the royal court. The upright posture and the positioning of the arms at a straight angle with the shoulders demonstrate the strict adherence to straight angles. The...

Painted wooden statue of Metjetji

Statue of Metjetji

With titles such as, “Overseer of the Bureau of Tentantry of the Court“, “Overseer of the Office of the Palace of Tenants”, “Liege of the King of the Great Palace”, Metjetji was clearly a wealthy man of elite status. It is believed he worked directly with the king and possibly played an important role in...

Detail of the Coffin of Priestess Iawttayesheret

Coffin of Priestess Iawttayesheret

This is the coffin lid of a woman named, Iawttayesheret (also known as Tayesheret), who lived during Egypt’s 25th Dynasty, c. 722-655 B.C. Iawttayesheret was the daughter of Padikhnum and Tadiaset. Iawttayesheret held the title of The Divine Adoratrice of Amun, which was a title given to those secondary to the God’s Wife of Amun....

A battle scene depicting Asiatic bearded men being trampled under the horses that pull the Egyptian royal chariot.

Asiatic enemies trampled

A battle scene depicting Asiatic bearded men (West Asia/Eastern Mediterranean) being trampled under the horses that pull the Egyptian royal chariot. This block with a fragmented scene was discovered (MMA excavations, 1912–13) within the Temple of Ramesses IV, among the foundation where it was being reused as a foundational block. Some Egyptologists dated this piece...

Chlorite head of a female sphinx with missing inlaid eyes, wig clip visible

Head of female sphinx

This exquisite head, carved from chlorite, once adorned the body of a female sphinx. Dating to the Middle Kingdom, 12th Dynasty, circa 1876–1842 B.C., it is believed to have originated in Heliopolis, Egypt, and was possibly discovered within the grounds of Hadrian’s Villa in Rome, Italy. Now residing in the Brooklyn Museum (accession number 56.85),...

Chantress of Amun-Ra, Tentosorkon

Chantress of Amun-Ra, Tentosorkon

Lady of the House; Chantress of Amun-Ra, Tentosorkon, as appearing in her Papyrus (Book of the Dead), discovered in Thebes. c. 945 B.C. British Museum. EA9919,2 The name means ‘The (female) servant of Osorkon’. Tentosorkon (That of Sorkon), a name of Libyan origin which appeared around the 21st dynasty in the Delta, and was popularised...