New Kingdom

Mirror of Isis with Horus as a baby

Mirror of Isis with Horus as a baby

This bronze mirror portrays Isis as a figure of fertility and maternity. She holds her son, Horus, who appears as a miniature adult. As the mother of Horus, the protector of the king, Isis was essentially the queen of the gods, and thus the universal mother. The form above her head looks much like the...

Statuette of Lady Thuya

Statuette of Lady Thuya

The statuette of Thuya is carved from two species of wood that the Egyptians imported from the south – shea wood for the base, and African grenadilla for the lady herself. There are offering formulae on the back pillar and the base, dedicated to Osiris, Isis and “all the Gods who are in the West...

Egyptian chair

Side chair of an unidentified hardwood

Typical 18th Dynasty side chair of an unidentified hardwood, having legs imitating the fore and hind legs of a lion. It has a high sloping back hollowed to fit the occupant’s back. Ornamentation consists of alternation of light and dark wood and nine inlays of bone or ivory simulating broad headed nails of no constructional...

Cosmetic Spoon with Jackal Handle

Cosmetic Spoon with Jackal Handle

A cosmetic spoon in the form of a jackal. The jackal’s head is seen from above and is symmetrical, while the body is seen from the left. The tail of the jackal is long and thick and reaches to the paws of the outstretched back legs. The two forepaws are placed symmetrically one above and...

Statue of Penbui as a Standard-bearer

Statue of Penbui as a Standard-bearer

The fine wooden statue of Penbui in the picture, represented with his left leg forward, supports with his arms two rods, resting on his shoulders, on which there are the image of the god Ptah on the left and the god Amun on the right, both seated on a throne. The man wears a pleated...

Kneeling Statue of Senenmut

Kneeling Statue of Senenmut

In this portrait statue, Senenmut is kneeling and grasps a symbolic cobra that supports a sun disk and cowhorns and rests on a base composed of two upraised arms (the hieroglyphic sign for ka)—a magical gesture intended to preserve life and ward off evil. The inscription consists of three vertical lines of incised hieroglyphs on...

Relief of a Woman in Blue Dress

Relief of a Woman in Blue Dress

A painted limestone relief depicting a standing woman in a pleated sheer linen blue dress. The woman wears a luxurious wig which is held in place by a diadem of blossoms. A band ties the wig about mid-way through its length with a knot in the back. This slightly pulls the wig back, exposing the...

Colossus of Ramesses II at Memphis, 1897

Colossus of Ramesses II at Memphis, 1897

The Colossus of Ramesses II is an enormous statue carved in limestone. It is about 10m (33.8 ft) long, even though it has no feet, and is located near the village of Mit Rahina (Memphis). The statue was found in 1820 by an Italian traveler Giovanni Battista Caviglia. The colossus is an incredible piece of...

Relief of Nubian Prisoners

Tomb Relief of Nubian Prisoners

This tomb relief shows several Nubian prisoners with negroid features, tightly curled hair and earrings who are seated on the ground submissively as three Egyptian soldiers with batons watch over them. Depicted in sunk relief is also a scribe who is writing a report. A scribe is writing a report about the occurrence and is selecting...

Tomb Relief with a Messenger on Horseback

Tomb Relief with a Messenger on Horseback

This relief illustrates Horemheb’s military encampment: above, two soldiers watch horses teamed to war chariots as an officer hurries off, below, another officer escorts two water bearers, a messenger on horseback is arriving or departing, and a group of soldiers is carrying a heavy load on their shoulders, a beam or perhaps Horemheb’s rolled-up tent....