Egypt Museum ancient Egypt art culture and history

First Full-Color Portraits of Egyptian Mummies

First Full-Color Portraits of Egyptian Mummies

Archaeologists have unearthed the first full-color portraits of Egyptian mummies in more than a century. The excavation at Gerzeh archaeological site in Faiyum revealed a huge funerary building, also turned up papyri, pottery, and coffins from the Ptolemaic and Roman periods Egyptian archaeologists completing their 10th season of excavations at Gerzeh, 75 miles southwest of...

Statue of Amun with features of Tutankhamun

Statue of Amun with features of Tutankhamun

Standing graywacke statue of Amun, preserved from the knees up. Amun wears a short kilt fastened with a tyet amulet, a broad collar. The tall plumes of his crown are missing. In his hands, he holds two ankh symbols. The statue is an indication of Egyptian religion reverting to traditional presentations connecting the king and...

Bust of King Merenptah

Bust of Merneptah

This gray granite bust from a statue of King Merneptah shows the king as a middle-aged man. He wears the nemes headdress topped by uraeus, or rearing cobra. His names are engraved upon his shoulders. The torso shows a strong, well-built body, serious face but softer features. The statue was once painted; the headdress was...

Statue of King Teti

Statue of King Teti

The statue of King Teti was originally represented standing with his left leg forward. The legs are now broken and missing. There are no inscriptions on the statue, but it almost certainly belongs to King Teti of the 6th Dynasty because it was found in the funerary temple of that king at Saqqara. The king...

Tomb of Unknown Queen unearthed at Saqqara

Tomb of Unknown Queen unearthed at Saqqara

On the 100-year anniversary of unearthing King Tutankhamun’s tomb, archaeologists discover hundreds of tombs and mummies buried in Saqqara. Egyptian archaeologists rewrite history with the discovery of a tomb of a previously unknown queen. The New Kingdom Tomb of Queen Neith, along with a cache of 300 coffins and 100 mummies, was unearthed at the...

Kneeling Statue of Amenhotep II

Kneeling Statue of Amenhotep II

In this statue, King Amenhotep II is shown kneeling in a pose of worship, offering two Nu vases for libation to Amun-Re. His body is well modeled with defined muscles. He wears the royal nemes headdress, surmounted by the uraeus, or rearing cobra. One type of statue, adopted by both individuals and rulers, is that...

MacGregor Man Statuette

MacGregor Man Statuette

This polished black basalt figure of a man wearing a hood and penis sheath was once in the collection of the Rev William MacGregor, and is said to have been found in the region of Naqada. Standing man, arms by sides with hands open, palms in, legs together.  Details of eyes, eyebrows, and mouth clearly...

Egyptian Faience Hedgehog Figurine

Hedgehog Amulet

Faience hedgehog amulet with a white core and turquoise and black coating. Hedgehog-shaped objects of the most diverse types have been present in Egypt since the Predynastic Period. Images of hedgehogs were painted in tombs of the Old Kingdom as decoration on the bows of boats. It was also used in the production of small,...

Ancient Egypt: The Definitive Visual History

Ancient Egypt: The Definitive Visual History

Discover the fascinating details of life under the pharaohs – and their extraordinary legacy – in this comprehensive e-guide to ancient Egypt civilization. Encompassing 3,000 years and 31 Egyptian dynasties, from the time of Narmer to that of Cleopatra, this fresh appraisal of ancient treasures helps you to navigate the political intrigues and cultural achievements...

Detail of the block statue of Kha-em-Waset. Walters Art Museum. 22.

Block Statue of Kha-em-Waset

This piece is a small serpentine, New Kingdom, block statue of Kha-em-Waset. Kha-em-Waset was a noble who held the titles of Fan-Bearer and Chief of Works in the Temple of Amun. This statue would have been placed as a votive in the temple of Amun. Kha-em-Waset sits with his knees drawn up upon a rectangular...