This statuette, fashioned from an arsenical copper alloy, portrays the noblewoman and princess Sebeknakht in the intimate act of nursing her infant son. Adorned with a diadem crowned by a regal uraeus, she is gracefully depicted in a crouched position, her left arm and bent knee tenderly supporting the child as he feeds. The infant,...
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...
Maatkare Mutemhat was the daughter of Pinedjem I, the de facto ruler of Upper Egypt as the High Priest of Amun at Thebes, and his wife, Duathathor-Henuttawy, who carried the blood of kings, being the daughter of Ramesses XI—the final sovereign of Egypt’s 20th Dynasty. It is thought that Maatkare Mutemhat ascended to a sacred...
To the Egyptians, Hippopotami were associated with the protective goddess Taweret who was associated with childbirth, pregnancy, and motherhood. The Egyptians saw hippos as a fearsome creature who protected their young from predators, with the ferociousness of the hippo encapsulating protective love. Therefore, the nature of the hippo became a symbol of guardianship during pregnancies,...
This wig was found lying behind the head of Nauny’s mummy in her inner coffin. From Egypt, Upper Egypt, Thebes, Deir el-Bahari, Tomb of Meritamun (TT 358, MMA 65), inside coffin, MMA excavations, 1928–29. The wig is made from plaits of human hair, which were fastened at the top with a cord. The hair was...
Mut, whose name means “mother” in Ancient Egyptian, was a significant deity in the Egyptian pantheon, particularly revered as the mother goddess and queen of the gods. She was considered a primal deity, linked with the primordial waters of Nu from which creation emerged, symbolizing her role as the creator of life itself. Mut was...
This mummy of a woman known as “Mummy KV60b” was discovered within a large (7ft) sarcophagus in Tomb KV60 of the Valley of the Kings. She is one of two female mummies discovered within the tomb, and her coffin was inscribed with the title of “Great Royal Nurse, In” [Egyptian: wr šdt nfrw nswt In]....
This fragment of a clay jug with the head of a smiling woman, would have been used as a pouring vessel, and was typical of the style of the 18th Dynasty, c. 1479–1352 B.C. It is thought such vessels would have been associated with motherhood, midwifery in particular. Usually, such vessels would be carved in...
This limestone head a of a woman dates from the New Kingdom. It’s remnants showcase a beautifully decorated wig, adorned with a headband and plait cascading down the back of her head. However, the piece has recieved much restoration work and has somewhat influenced how we see this piece in the modern age. This below...
This fascinating figure of a woman is beautifully carved from a piece limestone and showcases a woman in her feminine nature. She holds one bust, and if you look closely, you can see the remnants of a baby, who she is suckling. She appears nude and is flanked by her kohl tube and personal mirror...
