Originally described as a ‘linen belt’ but since at least 1913 it has been called the ‘Ramesses Girdle’. Paintings of Ramesses III show him wearing similar long lengths of cloth wrapped several times around the chest in a herringbone fashion, like a girdle, before being fastened around the waist. Cartouches of Ramesses III were inscribed...
Referred to as Asqanu in Egyptian texts and among the cities revolting against Ramesses II. Scenes of the battle for Ashkelon (including the one shown here) are shown on the walls of Ramesses’ temple at Karnak. The scene shows many activities taking place at once. The army of Ashkelon is being defeated in the center,...
This fragmentary limestone bust depicts the Royal Scribe, Méniou. Traces of pigment remain of black upon the wig, eyes and brows, giving this fragmentary piece a striking appearance, despite its disfigurement. Méniou wears an elaborate usekh collar and pleated linen tunic, indicating his status in society. His wig is shoulder-length and finely detailed with intricate...
The faces on most statues of Amenhotep II differ slightly from those of his two immediate predecessors. Compared with the sculpture of Thutmose III or Hatshepsut exhibited nearby, for example, this statue’s face is a little longer, the eyes somewhat narrower, the brows a bit straighter, the nose slightly thicker, and the mouth less curved....
Made from the wood from a sycamore fig tree, this painted statuette of a woman dates from the 18th Dynasty, c. 1427-1353 B.C. The woman depicted wears a beautiful linen white gown that is sleeveless on one side. This style of fashion was seemingly popular among the elite and royalty of the time, as we...
“The parts that are not there, the loss, give it even more power.”– Barry X Ball, American sculptor. The Artist Project, 2016. This fragmentary head of a queen dates from the Amarna period, and it likely depicts king Akhenaten’s mother Queen Tiye, however this is not certified, and it could in fact be a daughter...
This painter’s palette was carved from a single piece of ivory. Six oval wells contain cakes of pigments including blue, green, brown (?), yellow, red, and black. The oval cartouche at one end encircles the throne name of Amenhotep III, Neb-Ma’at-Re, and the epithet “beloved of Re.” This could mean the palette belonged to an...
The Victory Stele of Amenhotep III The stele, was erected to commemorate King Amenhotep III’s (c. 1391-1353 BC) triumph over his opponents. This part displays two concurrent scenarios, with the king standing in his horse-drawn chariot. Above him, the goddess Nekhbet extends her protective wings, symbolising life, stability, and dominion. A quiver of arrows hangs...
Painted limestone statuette of Tawaret. This figurine was donated to a woman named Taweret by her mother. She has one arm bent and a lotus bud in her uplifted hand, a gesture rarely seen in depictions of women. The lotus bud could refer to Taweret’s youth. This unopened bloom is rarely found in statues. As...
This statue of Chief Royal Scribe and Physician, Yuny was discovered at Asyut (Lykopolis) in 1913. The statue is made from limestone and dates from the reign of Seti I, 1294–1279 B.C. Yuny is portrayed kneeling, dressed in a nobleman’s robe, wig and sandals. His eyes and brows, which were originally created as inlays, have...
