Plaster face of a man, possibly Ay
This face of a man was discovered within the remnants of the Sculptor Thutmoses’s workshop in Tel el-Amarna. Although unnamed, some scholars propose it may be the face of Ay, who is also thought to be a brother of Queen Tiye and was definitely king after the death of king Tutankhamun. This association of Ay with the head is due to some resemblance with other depictions thought to be of the mysterious king.
“The King’s Favourite and Master of Works, the Sculptor Thutmose“, was an Ancient Egyptian sculptor in the Amarna style. He flourished around 1350 BC, and is thought to have been the official court sculptor of the Egyptian pharaoh Akhenaten in the latter part of his reign.
A German archaeological expedition digging in Akhenaten’s deserted city of Akhetaten, known today as Tel el-Amarna, found a ruined house and studio complex (labelled P47.1-3) in early December 1912; the building was identified as that of Thutmose based on an ivory horse blinker found in a rubbish pit in the courtyard inscribed with his name and job title. Since it gave his occupation as “sculptor” and the building was clearly a sculpture workshop, the determination seemed logical and has proven to be accurate.
Summary:
Plaster head of a man, thought to be king Ay
New Kingdom, 18th Dynasty, c.
Tel el-Amarna, found a ruined house and studio complex (labelled P47.1-3)
Now on display at the Ägyptisches Museum. ÄM 21350
