New Kingdom

Life-size quartzite head of Nefertiti

Life-size quartzite head of Nefertiti

This life-size quartzite head of Nefertiti was discovered within the remains of the workshop of the Ancient Egyptian sculptor Thutmose at Amarna. Although unmarked, the resemblance to other portraits of Nefertiti identify her clearly. The head is made of quartzite, but has yet to be sanded to create a smooth finish. The face still has...

Seated statue of Seti II with shrine to Amun

Seated statue of Seti II with shrine to Amun

This quartzite sandstone statue depicts king Seti II upon his throne, holding a shrine surmounted by a ram’s head, which is associated with the god Amun. The British museum states that this statue is one of the most complete sculptures from the entirety of Ancient Egypt. It is extremely rare to find a statue of...

Stela in dedication to Khonsu from draughtsman Pay

Stela in dedication to Khonsu from draughtsman Pay

Pay was a man who lived in the famous workers/artists village of Deir el-Medina, then known as Set Ma’at, which translates to “The Place of Truth”. Pay’s titles tell us that he worked as a draughtsman, a very important role in making sure that both the temples and tombs of the royals and elites of...

Statue of Intendant Hapy as a scribe

Statue of Intendant Hapy as a scribe

Statue of Intendant and Administrator of the Temple of Amun, Hapy, reading from a papyrus roll. The scribe’s job was one of the most important in ancient Egypt, for he was the representative of culture, science, knowledge, and literature. In this regard, scribes are considered the main founders of its civilization. The scribe’s role was...

Egyptians in battle against the Nubians

Egyptians in battle against the Nubians

A scene depicted on a wooden chest showcases Tutankhamun’s Egyptian military defiant against the Nubians. Battle scenes along the length of the chest’s sides show the king riding in his chariot, accompanied by well organized archers, lancers, cavalrymen, and fan bearers, charging the enemies of Egypt; one side of the chest features the enemies of...

Pyramidion of Amenhotep (Huy)

Pyramidion of Amenhotep (Huy)

Pyramidion of the royal scribe Amenhotep Huy during the reign of Ramesses II, 1279-1213 BC. From Saqqara necropolis. True pyramids (at least the larger ones), as opposed to step pyramids in Egypt were topped by a special stone called a pyramidion, or sometimes a capstone, which was itself a miniature pyramid. It brought the pyramid...

Female dancer from Deir el-Medina

Female dancer from Deir el-Medina

This limestone ostracon was discovered in the famous Workers Village of Deir el-Medina. Dating from approximately, 1292–1076 B.C., this piece was created within the 19th or 20th Dynasty. Deir el-Medina (Set Ma’at) was a workman’s village, which was state commissioned and owned. The artisans and architects who would design and build the tombs of the...

Shrine of Maatmenraemheb and his wife Urtnefret

Shrine of Maatmenraemheb and his wife Urtnefret

Discovered in Abydos, this shrine depicting Maatmenraemheb with his wife Urtnefret, shows the couple depicted within an arched niche. Carved from a block of limestone, the sides of the shrine’s exterior are decorated with sunken relief images of the couple’s family and hieroglyphs. The shrine was originally erected in front of a large granite stele...

Painted quartzite head of Seti II

Painted quartzite head of Seti II

This quartzite head of king Seti II, was a part of a statue within the Hypostyle Hall of the Temple of Amun at Karnak, the body of the statue remains in its original location. Seti II (or Sethos II) was the fifth pharaoh of the Nineteenth Dynasty of Egypt and reigned from c. 1203 BC...