A masterpiece of both delicate craftsmanship and regal symbolism, this ring, fashioned from gold in hollow bas-relief, boasts an intricate rectangular bezel framed by added spirals and stops, with a swollen, almost sculptural band that suggests opulence and command. Upon its surface, hieroglyphs elegantly proclaim Horemheb’s coronation name, accompanied by depictions of a scorpion, crocodile,...
In Ancient Egypt, priestesses moved with reverence and rhythm through temple courts and sacred halls, their linen robes rustling like whispers of the gods. These women, often chosen from noble or elite families, were no ordinary attendants, they were the earthly hands and voices of the divine, charged with the sacred duties of service to...
This mummy of a juvenile dog was discovered in the necropolis of Asyut during Ernesto Schiaparelli’s excavation between 1910 and 1912. Now housed in Cabinet 51 of Room 11 at the Egyptian Museum of Turin (Museo Egizio. Suppl. 11005), the animal’s form is modest in scale, measuring 28 by 44 centimetres, yet richly evocative of...
To the Ancient Egyptians, Nefertum, the radiant deity of the blue lotus, emerged from the primordial waters as the fragrant bloom that first opened at the dawn of creation. Often depicted as a handsome youth crowned with a lotus flower (sometimes flanked by plumes or lions), Nefertum embodied both rebirth and divine fragrance, serving as...
The coffin of Tamutmutef, “Chantress of Amun”, is an exquisite example of funerary craftsmanship from the Third Intermediate Period, dating approximately between 1076 and 746 B.C. This period, following the decline of the New Kingdom, was marked by political fragmentation and a shift in religious power, particularly toward the priesthood of Amun at Thebes. Within...
This rectangular slab of black siltstone, dating to the reign of Nectanebo I (c. 380–362 B.C.), once formed part of a temple’s architectural adornment. It is sculpted in sunk relief on both faces, though one side survives in better condition. The decoration consists of offering scenes surmounted by a dado of niche patterns and crowned...
This finely carved sandstone group statue, dating from the 12th Dynasty of Egypt’s Middle Kingdom (c. 1981–1802 B.C.), portrays Senbebu, an Overseer of Stonemasons, seated prominently between two women. The figure to his left is likely his wife, Abetib, while the woman to his right is named Peryt. Senbebu held a distinguished title that indicates...
A model domestic figure is a small, carved representation of a person (often crafted from wood and painted) that was placed in Ancient Egyptian tombs to symbolise aspects of daily life. These figures typically depict servants, labourers, or household workers engaged in domestic or agricultural tasks such as grinding grain, baking bread, brewing beer, carrying...
The Seated Statue of the Steward Sehetepibreankh is a notable example of Middle Kingdom Egyptian sculpture, dating to approximately 1919–1885 B.C. during the reign of Amenemhat II. This limestone statue was excavated in 1923–24 from Pit 6L.P19 in the tomb of Sehetepibreankh at Lisht South, located in the Memphite region of Egypt. The statue exemplifies...
The game of Senet (Ancient Egyptian: “znt”, meaning ‘passing’ and in Coptic: ⲥⲓⲛⲉ/sinə, meaning “passing, afternoon”), is a board game consisting of 10 or more pawns on a 30 square playing board.whose origins stretch back to the earliest dynasties of Ancient Egypt, was more than a pastime of the living; it was a symbolic rite...
