Kunsthistorisches Museum

Khonsu-mes receives libation of food and drink from the tree goddess. Papyrus of Khonsu-mes21st Dynasty, c. 1000 B.C.

Tree Goddess

Khonsu-mes receives libation of food and drink from the tree goddess. The tree goddesses are usually associated with the namesake or manifestatiown of the goddesses Hathor, Isis or Nut. Hathor was often referred to as the “Lady of the Sycamore”. The sycamore tree held great significance in ancient Egyptian culture, believed to possess magical and...

Statue of Snofru-nefer

Statue of Snofru-nefer, a court official

The statue of Snofru-nefer is a prime example for demonstrating the fundamental principles of the Egyptian sculptor. He was the principal singer and the overseer of amusements at the royal court. The upright posture and the positioning of the arms at a straight angle with the shoulders demonstrate the strict adherence to straight angles. The...

Family statue of a man called Wah-Ib "Jeweller of Amun", wife Teri. Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, Austria. INV 9233

Family statue of a man called Wah-Ib “Jeweller of Amun”, wife Teri

This family portrait comes from the reign of Amenhotep III. The artistic style of the piece is reminiscent of other pieces from the Late 18th Dynasty era, in which after a lustrous and inspiring reign, Amenhotep III’s lineage took hold with Amenhotep IV (Akhenaten), leading to the eventual collapse of the 18th Dynasty’s Golden Age...

Akhenaten Ushabti. Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, Austria. INV 10166

Akhenaten Ushabti

Ushabti of king Akhenaten from Amarna (ancient Akhetaten – Akhenaten’s experimental ‘new capital’ that was dismantled upon his death. A Ushabti was a figurine representing the deceased that would help with duties in the Afterlife. A Ushabti (Egyptian: wšbtj or šwbtj) was a funerary figure in the form of the likeness of the deceased, and...

Subdued Enemies. A black Sub Saharan man and an Assyrian man kneel, subdued by the king of Egypt.

Subdued Enemies

Glazed faïence inlays from palace of Ramesses III, depicting subdued enemies of Egypt; Sub Saharan African and Assyrian men kneel. The decorative inlays are considered of significant historical and ethnographical interest, given the representation of neighbouring populations. Tiles with coloured inlaid glazed faience were very popular for decorating the walls of palaces. In the palace...

Face from a coffin. Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna. Egyptian - Oriental Collection Inv. No. INV 917

Face from a coffin

This face from a coffin is made of wood and paint still remains. The face has a slight soft smile. It dates from the New Kingdom Period’s 18th Dynasty (c.1300-1400 B.C.), and is currently under the ownership of the Kunsthistorisches Museum, in Vienna, Austria. The mummies of the ancient Egyptian elite were placed into wooden...

Painted limestone stele depicts sisters, Keti and Senet

Stele of Keti and Senet

This painted limestone stele depicts sisters, Keti and Senet, breathing in the scent of a lotus blossom, while stood either side of an offering table full of food produce and other tribute presented to the pair. Dating from between approximately 2061–1900 B.C., Late 11th Dynasty to Early 12th Dynasty, this Middle Kingdom stelae was made...

Ptolemaic Mummy Mask

Ptolemaic Mummy Mask

In the Ptolemaic period, the mummy was not enclosed by a complete mummy case, but only by individual pieces of covering, including a mummy mask. Before placing the mummy in its coffin, a number of decorations could be applied. The outer mummy bandages could be painted, the mummy could receive a net of beads with...

Sarcophagus of Pa-nehem-isis

Sarcophagus of Pa-nehem-isis

The sarcophagus of the priest Pa-nehem-isis [Pnehmêse] is a remarkable example from the Ptolemaic Period, with its large face and its profusion of inscriptions and images, covering the whole surface. The figures have been carved in the hard stone with great precision. The deceased is wearing the tripartite wig and a broad collar. No other...

Ba Bird Statuette

Ba Bird Statuette

This ba bird statuette is perched on a rectangular base. The human head is covered by a blue tripartite striated wig with a red sun disc on top. A collar was painted on the chest between the front lappets of the wig. The feathers are painted red, the tail feathers blue. The typical leg feathers...