A cartonnage mummy mask belonging to a High Official found in the Asyut Necropolis of Upper Egypt. The mummy dates from the 11th-12th Dynasty of the Middle Kingdom, c. 2000-1980 B.C. The mask is now on display at The Walters Art Museum. 78.4 Another mummy mask with a similar bearded style was also discovered in...
This collection of stringed blue faïence star amulets was found at el-Lisht, the funerary site of Middle Kingdom royal and elite burials. The region was originally excavated by the French Egyptologist Gaston Maspero in 1882. The stringed star amulets were discovered in 1920-22, during the MMA excavations taking place at the time. They could date...
Blue-green faience hedgehog figurine with black spots on elliptical base, both left legs slightly advanced and modeled freely in the round. Back is scored in grid pattern and bumpy to simulate quills. When food is scarce, hedgehogs retreat into underground dens for long periods, to re-emerge only in times of abundance. The Egyptians associated this...
This fish pendant represents a Synodontis Batensoda, more commonly known as the Nile catfish, a species of fish named for its black belly. Often worn at the end of a plait of hair, amulets like this one were used by children and young women to protect against drowning. This fine amulet is made of gold...
In this magnificent example, the face belongs to Senusret III of 12th Dynasty whose features are very distinctive. With the body of a lion and the head of a human, the sphinx symbolically combined the power of the lion with the image of the reigning king. He wears a pleated linen headcloth, called a nemes...
This obsidian head, a masterpiece of Egyptian craftsmanship, was part of a full-length statue that probably portrayed king Senwosret III in his mature years. The king is wearing a pleated head-dress (nemes), with the sacred serpent (uraeus), the symbol of royal power. In this piece the artist conveys the impression of a firm but very...
Chlorite head of a female sphinx with missing inlaid eyes, wig clip visible. Middle Kingdom, 12th Dynasty, c.1876-1842 B.C. Heliopolis, Egypt. Possibly found within Hadrian’s Villa, Rome, Italy. Brooklyn Museum. 56.85 Small details sometimes provide crucial clues to understanding a sculpture. On this object, for example, the back of the wig extends horizontally instead of...
This head of a man dates from the Middle Kingdom, and the facial features and characteristics depicted are easily recognizable from the reign of Senwosret III. Although, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, lists this head as belonging to an Official, it could be argued that the head was originally a depiction of king Senwosret...
Grey Granite Statue depicts King Amenemhat III. Amenemhat III meaning “Amun is at the forefront”, was the son of the great king Senwosret III, and the sixth king of Ancient Egypt’s 12th Dynasty. Amenemhat Ill’s features are clearly marked and give life to a highly individualistic portrait quite unlike the idealized models of the ruler....
