Daggers were among the treasured possessions of Ancient Egyptian royalty, serving not merely as weapons, but as symbols of prestige, authority and protection. Within the linen wrappings of the mummy of Tutankhamun, who died around 1323 B.C., Howard Carter discovered two exquisitely crafted daggers in 1925. One, with a blade of gold, rested upon the...
These exquisite examples of Egyptian wood carving, depicting women bearing offerings, were discovered in a concealed chamber beside the passage leading into the rock-cut tomb of Meketre, the royal chief steward. These two remarkably similar female figures (Egyptian Museum, Cairo, JE 46725; Metropolitan Museum of Art, 20.3.7) stood flanking a collection of twenty-two intricate models,...
This silver winged scarab is inlaid with lapis lazuli, red jasper and green feldspar. It seems to have been fixed to a larger object since there are fasteners on the back side. The winged scarab was a powerful image of solar rebirth for the deceased. Amulets in the form of scarab beetles had become enormously...
This mask would have covered the head of the mummy of a an Egyptian man. It is highly decorated with images of protective amulets and gods to aid in the journey towards becoming a glorified spirit in the afterlife. Over the head spread the wings of a vulture while a winged sun disc, symbol of...
The mummy of Lady Rai is one of the oldest known mummies uncovered in Egypt. She was discovered in 1881 and researchers estimate that she was about 30 – 40 years old when she died around 1530 BC. From the writings left behind about Lady Rai, we know that she was the nursemaid to Queen...
This pair of gold earrings, bearing the cartouche of King Ramesses XI, was found on a female mummy. They are formed of convex disks grooved along the edge and decorated with five uraei, or royal cobras, on the outer face. The three snakes in the middle bear a sun disk while the two outer ones...
This wooden bed is covered with gilded plaster designed to represent two elongated lionesses represent the goddess Mehit. According to the ancient Egyptian beliefs, Mehit was identified with Hathor, Sekhmet, and Isis and helped to cause the Nile flood when she was appeased. The eyes of these animals are inlaid with blue glass paste; the...
The statue shows Kai sitting on a high-backed chair. He wears a shoulder length wig, decorated with horizontal rows of curls. Each eye is framed in copper, while his eyebrows are in raised relief. The lips are thin and finely drawn. Below, he wears Usekh or Wesekh (broad) collar, composed of seven horizontal bands of...
The wooden model of musical entertainment from the tomb of Ka-tenen depicts musicians and singers performing for the master. The master is seated on a carrying chair. A woman is seated on a stool by his feet. A man and a woman, who are positioned on either side of the carrying chair, are playing harps....
The stool of Tutankhamun is made of wood and covered in gold leaf, showcasing the exquisite craftsmanship of ancient Egyptian artisans. The elements of the stool are joined to each other with copper pins. The chair’s legs were modeled to look like the legs of a lion. The lion held a privileged status in ancient...
