Middle Kingdom

golden scarab dates from approximately 1980–1801 B.C., during the Middle Kingdom period of Ancient Egypt

Middle Kingdom Scarab

This golden scarab dates from approximately 1980–1801 B.C., during the Middle Kingdom period of Ancient Egypt. It was purchased from Mohammed Mohasseb and Son, in Luxor, by Lucy Olcott Perkins through Henry W. Kent and now resides at the Cleveland Museum of Art. It is 1.1 cm and weighs 1.6 g (0.06 oz.). The scarab...

A cartonnage mummy mask belonging to a Bearded High Official found in the Asyut Necropolis of Upper Egypt.

Bearded High Official

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...

Blue faïence stars on string. Met Museum. 22.1.1298 Colourised by Egypt-Museum.com

Star amulets

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...

Faience Hedgehog Figurine

Faience Hedgehog Figurine

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...

Nile Catfish Pendant

Nile Catfish Pendant

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...

Sphinx of Senusret III

Sphinx of Senusret III

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...

Obsidian (volcanic glass) head of Senwosret III

Obsidian (volcanic glass) head of Senwosret III

This obsidian head, an exquisite example of Egyptian craftsmanship, was part of a full-length statue depicting King Senwosret III. The king is wearing a nemes headdress, with the sacred serpent (uraeus), representing regal and divine might. In this representation, the artist portrays the sense of a firm yet extremely human figure, showing the load of...

Chlorite head of a female sphinx with missing inlaid eyes, wig clip visible

Head of female sphinx

This exquisite head, carved from chlorite, once adorned the body of a female sphinx. Dating to the Middle Kingdom, 12th Dynasty, circa 1876–1842 B.C., it is believed to have originated in Heliopolis, Egypt, and was possibly discovered within the grounds of Hadrian’s Villa in Rome, Italy. Now residing in the Brooklyn Museum (accession number 56.85),...

The Josephson Head. MFA, Boston. Accession Number: 2003.244

The Josephson Head

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...