pre-dynastic

Petrie Head of “Narmer”

In the late 19th century, when Cairo’s streets were a swirl of dust, donkeys, perfumed coffee, and antiquities hawkers. It was among these souqs (markets) which Sir Flinders Petrie, the legendary British Egyptologist, acquired a small, rough-hewn limestone head, scarcely 10–12 cm high. These markets were, at the time, half curiosity-shop and half archaeological gamble,...

Pre-Dynastic Min of Koptos

Excavated at Koptos (Qift) by Sir Flinders Petrie in the 1890s, this statue is one of three, which are among the earliest monumental sculptures known from Ancient Egypt, dating to the dawn of its civilisation. At 4 metres tall and 2 tonnes in weight, this towering figure was created to honour the fertility god Min....