Limestone

Old Kingdom Family Portrait

Old Kingdom Family Portrait

This seated limestone family portrait depicts a husband, wife and son. It dates from the 4th Dynasty of Ancient Egypt’s Old Kingdom, c. 2620-2500 B.C. The piece stands at 78cm tall and 48cm wide. It was once painted and traces of the paint still remains, including black, red and yellow pigments. It was discovered by...

Statuette of the official Bes. Calouste Gulbenkian Museum, Lisbon. Inv. 158

Statuette of the official Bes

The inscription on the base of this statuette of the official Bes reads ‘Count and Prince, Companion of His Majesty’. Bes is portrayed sitting in a position that was widely used in the Old Kingdom (c. 2660–2180 BC), at the beginning of the New Kingdom (c. 1550–1070 BC) and again by the officials, including this...

Talatat of Kiya usurped by Meritaten

Kiya usurped by Meritaten

This limestone talatat shows a depiction of Queen Kiya, secondary wife of Akhenaten, making an offering of a cone of scented fat to the Aten. It is believed, however, that this piece was later reused and usurped to actually depict Akhenaten’s daughter, with his Great Royal Wife Nefertiti, Meritaten. The reason for this belief is...

Stelа of the Royal Scribe Ipy

Stela of the Royal Scribe Ipy

This stela of Ipy, who held the titles “fan-bearer on the right hand [of the king]”, “royal scribe”, and “great overseer of the royal household”, carries a depiction of its owner making offering to Anubis, the embalmer deity, who is seated at the offering table. The introduction of this subject is an extremely important characteristic...

This votive stela, dated from the reign of Amenhotep III and found at Deir el-Medina, is dedicated to the goddesses Taweret and Mut of Isheru, both female deities of motherhood and femininity. It was commissioned and dedicated by a man “[ … ] of [the house of] Amun, Khonsu“, in hopes for a woman’s safe and successful pregnancy and childbirth.

Votive stela with figures of Goddesses Taweret and Mut of Isheru

This votive stela, dated from the reign of Amenhotep III and found at Deir el-Medina, is dedicated to the goddesses Taweret and Mut of Isheru, both female deities of motherhood and femininity. It was commissioned and dedicated by a man “[ … ] of [the house of] Amun, Khonsu“, in hopes for a woman’s safe and successful pregnancy and childbirth.

Relief of Mentuemhat as a priest. Cleveland Museum of Art. 1949.492

Relief of Mentuemhat as Priest with Staff and Scepter

Relief of Mentuemhat in his robes as a priest of Amun and carrying the wand used to consecrate food offerings to the god. Raised relief in the style of his time, but showing some influence of Middle Kingdom work. Mentuemhat is one of the most recognizable nonroyal names from ancient Egypt. He was a rich...

Asyut Dog

Asyut Dog

The spectacular “Asyut Dog” is a large limestone statue of what may be a dog, a wolf or a golden jackal – the latter is the most likely. The statue is thought to come from the area surrounding the city of Asyut in Middle Egypt, and more specifically from the vicinity of its sacred animal...

Statue of Kneeling Captive

Statue of Kneeling Captive

This statue of kneeling captive can be dated to the reign of Pepi II for stylistic reasons. Beginning at least in the mid 5th Dynasty, large sculptures of bound foreign captives appeared in the pharaoh’s pyramid complex. Pepi I and Pepi II had great numbers of them. Statues of prisoners were presumably placed in areas...

Statue of King Horemheb and the God Amun

Statue of Horemheb and Amun

Horemheb stands beside the god Amun, who is taller to indicate that he is more important than the king himself. The style of the statue is typical of the period immediately following the religious and artistic revolution of king Akhenaten. The muscles are not emphasized, the contours are soft, the belly and hips rounded, the...

The Royal Acquaintances Memi and Sabu

Statue of the Royal Acquaintances Memi and Sabu

This statue evokes the intimacy of Memi and his companion, Sabu, although she is set somewhat apart by her oblique gaze. Until recently, the flowering of nonroyal statuary was believed to have occurred only in the 4th and 6th Dynasties. Recent studies indicate, however, that many of these nonroyal statues, including Memi and Sabu, are...