Egypt Museum

The Josephson Head

The Josephson Head. MFA, Boston. Accession Number: 2003.244
The Josephson Head. MFA, Boston. Accession Number: 2003.244

This head of a man dates from the Middle Kingdom, and the facial features and characteristics depicted are easily recognizable from the reign of Senwosret III.

Although, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, lists this head as belonging to an Official, it could be argued that the head was originally a depiction of king Senwosret III, as the likeness to other statues is uncanny.

Reddish brown quartzite head of an official, with distinctive features of late dynasty 12, including large ears, heavily-lidded and sunken eyes, furrowed brow, hollow cheeks and downcurved mouth. Nose broken.

The Josephson Head. MFA, Boston. Accession Number: 2003.244
The Josephson Head. MFA, Boston. Accession Number: 2003.244
The Josephson Head. MFA, Boston. Accession Number: 2003.244
The Josephson Head dates from approximately, 1878–1841 B.C., it could be argued that it was originally a depiction of king Senwosret III. MFA, Boston. Accession Number: 2003.244

The head is made of red quartzite and dates from approximately, 1878–1841 B.C., making it from the 12th Dynasty, and reign of Senwosret III. It is said to have been purchased in 1947 from the Khawam Brothers, in Cairo.

According to their website, the Khawam Brothers’ antiquities dealership was”Founded in Cairo in 1862 by the late Sélim Khawam, the antiquities dealership run successively by four generations of family and is the oldest of its type in the world.“

Khawam Brothers' antiquities dealership, Khan el-Khalili, 1950s.
Khawam Brothers’ antiquities dealership, Khan el-Khalili, 1950s.

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