Maatkare Mutemhat was the daughter of Pinedjem I, the powerful High Priest of Amun, who, in his reverence for the past, bestowed upon his children the names of Egypt’s greatest rulers. To his daughter, he gave the throne name of Queen Hatshepsut, linking her legacy to that of one of the most formidable women to...
This plaque, or thin plate, was placed on the mummy of king Psusennes I over the incision made in the lower abdomen to remove the internal organs. The plate was intended to heal and form a scar over the incision. In the center of the plate, there is a sacred wadjet eye flanked by the Four Sons...
The shrine of Hathor and the cow’s statue were retrieved from under heaps of debris south of the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari. The shrine is from the reign of Thutmose III. Its roof is painted blue with yellow stars to imitate the Vault of Heaven. The statue of Hathor as the divine...
The Great Hymn to Aten is one of the most famous texts from Akhenaten’s reign. It describes Aten as the sole creator, sustainer of life, and a universal omnipresent deity, making it one of the earliest religious texts that resemble later monotheistic traditions. The hymn, inscribed in Akhenaten’s tomb at Tel el-Amarna, praises Aten as...
The stele of Merneptah was originally erected by King Amenhotep III in his mortuary temple on the west bank of Thebes. King Merneptah, the thirteenth son and successor of King Ramesses II, reused the back face of this gray granite stele. The round top of this face, topped by the winged sun disk and flanked...
Some of the earliest silver objects unearthed in Egypt are these rare silver bracelets that once belonged to Queen Hetepheres I. They are inlaid with turquoise, lapis lazuli, and carnelian, in the form of a butterfly. The internal and external surfaces of this small box, or casket, were covered with gold leaf. The lid of...
The seat and the backrest of the armchair Armchair of Queen Hetepheres I are made of natural wood. They are surrounded by a simple wooden frame covered with gold leaf with high arms in gilded wood. The backrest of the chair is reinforced at the rear by a central support. The space between the arms,...
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...
This exquisite gold head of the falcon god Horus, lord of the sun and patron deity of kingship, was found below the floor of the main chamber of his temple at Hierakonpolis, north of Edfu. The head, which is made out of beaten gold, was fixed to a copper statue of the falcon Horus. It...
This original gold cosmetics container in the shape of a shell or scallop was found in the pyramidal complex of the king Sekhemkhet which was built on the model of his predecessor Djoser. For the ancient Egyptians, the plant and animal worlds were an inexhaustible source of decorative themes, particularly in the design of small,...
