Egypt Museum ancient Egypt art culture and history

Canopic chest of Sobekemsaf I

Canopic chest of Sobekemsaf I

Sobekemsaf was a Theban king of the Second Intermediate Period, when northern Egypt was occupied by the Hyksos. This chest contained his embalmed entrails, which were wrapped and contained in four ‘canopic’ jars. An image of these jars is painted on the flat inside lid of this chest. The outer surface of the lid is...

Statue of Nakhtmin

Nakhtmin was a prominent military commander during the reign of Pharaoh Tutankhamun in Egypt’s Eighteenth Dynasty. His distinguished titles included “Fan-bearer on the Right Side of the King,” “King’s Scribe,” “The True Servant Who Benefits His Lord,” and “The Servant Who Ensures the Name of His Lord Endures.” These honours were inscribed on five ushabtis...

Tomb of Hekashepes

In 2023, an archaeological team led by renowned Egyptologist Dr. Zahi Hawass made a groundbreaking discovery at Saqqara, an ancient burial site near Cairo, Egypt. This excavation uncovered several Old Kingdom tombs, including the sealed sarcophagus of Hekashepes, a noble who lived over 4,300 years ago during the 5th or 6th Dynasty (c. 2300 B.C.)....

Head of King Mentuhotep II

Head of King Mentuhotep II

This head was part of a statue, carved from sandstone, of king Mentuhotep II, the unifier of Egypt, at the end of the so-called First Intermediate Period, at the end of the third millennium BC., and whose name is written on the back supporting pillar.  The face is painted dark red to render the idea...

Statue of a Woman of Nubian Descent

Statue of a Woman of Nubian Descent

The sculpture depicts a young woman of Nubian descent, adorned with a brightly patterned skirt, a necklace, anklets, and a headband. She is believed to represent an attendant of one of the Hathor priestesses or royal wives at the court of Nebhepetre Mentuhotep II. Similar figures were found in the same tomb, suggesting that they...

Jewellery chest of Sithathoryunet

Nestled within the esteemed halls of The Metropolitan Museum of Art resides a resplendent artefact from Ancient Egypt: the jewellery chest of Princess Sithathoryunet. Crafted during the Middle Kingdom, specifically the 12th Dynasty (c.1887–1813 B.C.), this exquisite chest exemplifies the opulence and artistry of its era. Discovered in a concealed niche within Sithathoryunet’s tomb near...

Princess Sebeknakht Nursing

Princess Sebeknakht Nursing

This statuette, fashioned from an arsenical copper alloy, portrays the noblewoman and princess Sebeknakht in the intimate act of nursing her infant son. Adorned with a diadem crowned by a regal uraeus, she is gracefully depicted in a crouched position, her left arm and bent knee tenderly supporting the child as he feeds. The infant,...

Statue of Anubis

Statue of Anubis

This statue represents Anubis, god of mummification and the afterlife, typically depicted with a jackal head. In this piece, Anubis is shown in a traditional form, with a jackal head, standing in a protective and authoritative pose.  The statue was dedicated by a high-ranking official named Padihorpakhered, whose name is inscribed on the statue. He...

Satirical papyrus: two cats serving a mouse

Satirical papyrus: two cats serving a mouse

This scene—featuring two cats and a mouse—likely portrays a lighthearted or symbolic interaction, showcasing how the Egyptians sometimes used humor or animal symbolism to comment on human life. A lady mouse is shown sitting elegantly, enjoying a cup of wine or drink, which is offered to her by one of the cats standing nearby. Another...

Goddess Sekhmet

A goddess of unmatched power, grace and divine fury—Sekhmet, the lioness-headed deity was said to be born from the breath of Ra, and was both a fierce protector and relentless avenger. As one of the most ancient deities of the Ancient Egyptian pantheon, she was revered as a fierce guardian of pharaohs, a goddess of...