Statue of the vizier Hor

The vizier Hor is shown seated with one leg bent up against his chest and the other resting on the ground; it is the traditional way to sit, and is used by Egyptian peasants to this day. He has a shaved head, delicate features, round cheeks and a small mouth.

His kilt is held up by a large belt that is inscribed with details of his life including his titles and those of his father, who was a priest of Libyan origin during the 22nd Dynasty. The text on the base is an offering formula to Amun-Re, who has allowed Hor to erect a statue of himself in the god’s temple.

The inscription also refers to the king’s appointment of Hor as vizier while he was still Superintendent of the Treasury of the Temple of Amun. The name of the king is not specified in the inscription but we know that Hor’s father was named luatjek and was of Libyan origin, and this suggests the period of the 22nd Dynasty, a hypothesis that is supported by the style and the pose of the figure.

There were two viziers during the 22nd Dynasty in Upper Egypt, one is referred to during Year 14 of the reign of King Takelot I and the other is cited in a document during Year 8 of King Shoshenq III.

Third Intermediate Period, 22nd Dynasty, ca. 945-720 BC. From Karnak Cachette. Now in the Egyptian Museum, Cairo. JE 37512