The tomb of Nefermaat and his wife Itet, located at Meidum, stands as one of the most significant examples of early Old Kingdom funerary art. Nefermaat, son of Sneferu and a powerful figure in his own right, held numerous prestigious titles, including Overseer of Works and Vizier. His tomb, known to Egyptologists as Mastaba 16,...
At an imposing height of nearly 2.35 metres (8 feet), this magnificent travertine (Egyptian Alabaster) statue depicts king Menkaure, the illustrious builder of the smallest Pyramid at Giza, seated in a pose of serene dignity and regal authority. Unearthed in 1909 by the Harvard University–Boston Museum of Fine Arts Expedition from the ruins of Menkaure’s...
King Menkaure, the illustrious pharaoh of Egypt’s Fourth Dynasty, reigned during the mid-26th century B.C., leaving an enduring legacy of majesty and refinement. Best known for his resplendent pyramid at Giza—smaller yet more exquisitely crafted than those of his predecessors—Menkaure was a sovereign of both might and measured grace. His reign is immortalised through sublime...
In 2023, an archaeological team led by renowned Egyptologist Dr. Zahi Hawass made a groundbreaking discovery at Saqqara, an ancient burial site near Cairo, Egypt. This excavation uncovered several Old Kingdom tombs, including the sealed sarcophagus of Hekashepes, a noble who lived over 4,300 years ago during the 5th or 6th Dynasty (c. 2300 B.C.)....
In November 2018, archaeologists uncovered the remarkably preserved tomb of Wahtye, a high-ranking priest who served under king Neferirkare Kakai during Egypt’s Fifth Dynasty, around 2415–2405 B.C. This significant find was documented in the Netflix film “Secrets of the Saqqara Tomb“. Released in 2020, the film captures the emotional journey of the archaeologists, the thrill...
This stele features a low-relief depiction of a seated woman named Iku, positioned on a chair with lion’s legs. In front of her is an offering table adorned with loaves of bread. She is portrayed wearing a long, smooth wig and a close-fitting dress, while holding a flower to her nose. To the right of...
Demedji was an Official during Egypt’s Old Kingdom, specifically during the 5th Dynasty, c. 2494–2345 B.C. While not much is known about his exact position, the hieroglyphic inscriptions on this Statue of Demedji and Hennutsen indicate that he held an administrative or bureaucratic role, likely within the royal court or a provincial government. His titles...
Two puppies stand side by side with slightly lowered heads, as if hesitating to approach some problem or adversary they cannot yet handle. They must have belonged to a subregister of a larger composition-perhaps a hunt in the desert. The impression of overlap is achieved by the use of incised lines that slope up into...
This distinctive statue depicts Prince Tjau seated in an asymmetrical pose different from the usual cross-legged pose of a scribe at work. His right leg is pulled up in front of him and his left folded beneath each hand is placed on a knee, indicating that he is at rest. He is dressed in a...
Tjetji is shown in the classic pose of a standing official, with his left leg advanced, a long staff in his left hand, and a sekhem scepter (now lost) held horizontally in his right hand. The arms of this statue were made separately and pegged to the body, and the feet tenoned into a separate...
