This statueΒ πππππΎΒ of AnubisΒ πππͺπ ±π£Β is dated to the Ptolemaic Period (c.Β 332β30 B.C.E.) and is quite beautiful π€ in person! I have never posted about this piece before because the lighting in the gallery is so bad that it makes it hard to get a good picture ππ ±π!Β
This statue πππππΎ is made of plaster and wood π±ππΊ, and has been painted ππ in many beautiful π€ colors! Anubisβ πππͺπ ±π£ arms are raised in a protective π ππ‘π stance, as if he is welcoming the dead π ππ± to the afterlife πΌπΏππ.
Anubis πππͺπ ±π£ held many important titles, all of which signify how important he was to not only embalming, but to all aspects of a personβs death π ππ±. The title βUpon His Hill/Mountain πΆπΊππβ references the cliff that usually surrounded necropolises, which Anubis πππͺπ ±π£ (and jackals ππΏππ₯π¦) would guard. The title βHe who is in the mummy wrappings ππΆπ ±πππβ signifies Anubisβ role in the mummification process, which is what he is most known for.
The title βIn front at the Godβs booth π πΉπ±β references AnubisβΒ πππͺπ ±π£Β place not only in the place of embalming, but in the burial chamberΒ ππππΒ of a tombΒ ππ«ππΒ too! Β Before OsirisΒ πΉπ¨πΒ became a much more major god πΉ of the deadΒ π ππ±, AnubisΒ πππͺπ ±π£Β had that role and was known by the title βForemost of the Westerners π πππππΏπ¦Β β Since the sunΒ ππ ±π³Β set in the westΒ ππππ, the westΒ ππππΒ was known as the land of the dead to the ancient EgyptiansΒ πππππͺ.Β
I love woodenΒ π±ππΊΒ tomb models so much! As a kid they reminded me of dolls and dollhouses! Another thing I loved about them was how excited my Nonno would get over woodenΒ π±ππΊΒ pieces – he would always talk about how important woodenΒ π±ππΊΒ artifacts were. Since woodΒ π±ππΊΒ decomposes over time, it is more rare to have woodenΒ π±ππΊΒ artifacts be found in good condition as opposed to stoneΒ ππππͺ.Β
The models in this post (and many others) were found in the tombΒ ππ«ππΒ of the Royal Chief Steward Meketre who lived during the reign πΎ of Montuhotep IIΒ π ππΏπ ±π΅ππͺΒ and possibly Amenemhat IΒ ππ ππ ππ. Meketreβs high status as an officialΒ π΄ππΒ is why he was able to afford so many woodenΒ π±ππΊΒ models and such an elaborate burial.Β
While the main part of MeketreβsΒ tombΒ ππ«ππ had been plundered in ancient times, excavators found a hidden chamber, and that is where all of the woodenΒ π±ππΊΒ models were found! There were 24 πππ½ almost perfectly preserved models found in theΒ tombΒ ππ«ππ. Half of the models are at the MET, while the other half are at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo!
While Egyptian ππππ religious beliefs didnβt necessarily change much over time, some of the customs did! The Egyptians πππππͺ believed that the dead π ππ± needed nourishment in the forms of food π¬ππ ±ππ₯ and water π, even in the afterlife πΌπΏππ. During the Old Kingdom, this was achieved by depicting different types of food π¬ππ ±ππ₯ production on tomb ππ«ππ and chapel walls. In the Middle Kingdom, this practice evolved into placing wooden π±ππΊ models depicting different types of food π¬ππ ±ππ₯ production in a sealed chamber in the tomb ππ«ππ. It was thought that the models would hold more magical πππΏπ power than the carvings!
This wooden model depicts a slaughterhouse.
CowsΒ π€πππππ¦Β and geese πππ ¬π¦ are being slaughtered by butchers, and dried out meat ππ ±ππΉ can be seen hanging above them. Butchery was considered a high status occupation in ancient EgyptΒ ππ ππ, and most of the population did not have access to meat ππ ±ππΉ as a type of food π¬ππ ±ππ₯. Even having access to meat ππ ±ππΉ in the afterlifeΒ πΌπΏππΒ was a sign of status!
This model is of a granary πππ, and the model is divided into two π» sections.
The βtopβ section in my picture ππ ±π is of the actual granaryΒ πππ, where the grainΒ ππΏπ ±πΈπ¦Β was stored. The βbottomβ section is of the accounting area, where scribesΒ πππͺΒ are seen keeping records with supplies such as papyrus rollsΒ π ππππ¦ and wooden boards.Β The ancient EgyptiansΒ πππππͺΒ relied heavily on grainΒ ππΏπ ±πΈπ¦Β for foodΒ π¬ππ ±ππ₯, so it was an absolute must for them to keepΒ meticulous records about their supply.Β
It is interesting to note that there are only six πΏ workers carrying/pouring out the grain ππΏπ ±πΈπ¦, while there are nine scribes πππͺ for record keeping! Either this is a coincidence, or a commentary on just how important scribes πππͺ were to society in ancient Egypt ππ ππ!
Another thing I absolutely love about theΒ woodenΒ π±ππΊΒ models are how detailed they are! If you look at the workers who are pouring grainΒ ππΏπ ±πΈπ¦Β into the granaryΒ πππ, they have dust ππ π ±π‘ all over their faces! This would be from them pouring the grainΒ ππΏπ ±πΈπ¦, and some of the dust ππ π ±π‘ coming back up at them!Β
These wooden models are so amazing because they provide a look into some of the more common aspects of life πΉ in ancient Egypt ππ ππ, despite the fact that Meketreβs high status as an official π΄ππ is why he was able to afford so many wooden π±ππΊ models and such an elaborate burial.
This next model has no people in it! This model is of a βPorch and Garden πππͺπ,β and beautifully π€ paintedΒ π¨ππ ±ππΈπ¦Β columns (in the form of papyrus plants) can be seen on the porch part.
My favorite part of the model is that there is actually a pool ππ in the center that could have been potentially filled with water π! The area around the pool ππ is lined with sycamore trees πππππͺ, and while it is hard to see in this picture ππ ±π, there are little red figs π§πΏπππͺ growing on the branches! Sycamore trees πππππͺ are commonly associated with the goddess πΉπ Hathor π‘.Β
Some Egyptologists think that this piece would have functioned similarly to a βSoul House,β which weβre clay models that usually had an open court for offerings π΅ππͺπππ¦ or water π. This garden πππͺπ model could also be thought of as a libation basin π»ππ (because of the pool ππ of waterπ) that is decorated really nicely!
TodayΒ ππππ³Β we are going to be looking at a sistrumΒ πππππ£Β which has the various names πππ¦ of the pharaoh ππ» Teti πͺπ on it!
While most sistrumsΒ πππππ£πͺ contain an image ππ ±π of the goddess πΉπ Hathor π‘ on the handle, this is actually one of the earliest sistrumsΒ πππππ£πͺΒ ever found (c.Β 2323β2291Β B.C.E.) and is dated to the 6th Dynasty (Old Kingdom) so it is a little bit different than the sistrumsΒ πππππ£πͺΒ we are used to seeing! The top part of the sistrumΒ πππππ£ which contains the hieroglyphsΒ πΉππͺΒ is supposed to be a shrineΒ πππ ππ.
The hieroglyphsΒ πΉππͺ on the sistrumΒ πππππ£ are a list of theΒ pharaoh ππ» Tetiβs πͺπ various names πππ₯! Something interesting is that Tetiβs πͺπ names (except the birth name) are only mentioned on this sistrumΒ πππππ£Β – I donβt think the names πππ₯ have been inscribed anywhere else! Usually just Teti πͺπ is seen! Also, Teti πͺπ Β doesnβt seem to have a throne name ππ!! Letβs take a closer look!Β
Letβs start from the right-most column:
π₯ – King of Upper and Lower Egypt
(π π³πͺπ) – Son of Ra, Teti (in the Old Kingdom, the titles were sometimes placed in the cartouche) (Birth Name)
Left-most column:
π π΄π΅ππͺ – Sehotep Nebty (The One Who Has Satisfied the Two Lands) (Nebty Name)
I must admit – I am very guilty of walking past these statuesΒ πππππΎπͺΒ at the MET a lot because usually I want to go straight for the Temple of Dendur!! These pictures ππ ±ππ¦ are from May, but when I went to the MET earlier this month I got some close up photosΒ ππ ±ππ¦Β of these gorgeous π€ statuesΒ πππππΎπͺ, so Iβm going to do a bit of a series on them! TodayΒ ππππ³Β we will learn the history, and then we will read the hieroglyphsΒ πΉππͺΒ tomorrowΒ πΌπΏπ³!Β
These two π» statues πππππΎπͺ originally belonged to the pharaoh ππ» Amenhotep III ππ ππ΅πΎπ. While these two π» statues πππππΎπͺ now adorn the entrance to the museum exhibit of the Temple of Dendur, they originally were located at Amenhotep IIIβs ππ ππ΅πΎπ temple πππ dedicated to Amun-Ra ππ ππ³πΊ at Thebes πππ (modern day Luxor). Amenhotep III ππ ππ΅πΎπ ruled πΎ Egypt ππ ππ during the 18th Dynasty.
Then in the 19th Dynasty, along came the pharaoh ππ» Merenptah π³ππππΉπΉπΉ! Merenptah π³ππππΉπΉπΉ was the son π of Rameses II ππ πππ³πΊππ΄π, and like father πππ like son π , Merenptah π³ππππΉπΉπΉ usurped the statues πππππΎπͺ of other pharaohs ππ»π¦ and put his name ππ on them!
Usurping can be thought of as ancient plagiarism, and was very common during this time period. While I equate usurpation to plagiarism to put it in a modern context, the purpose wasnβt to defame the previous pharaohsΒ ππ»π¦Β of EgyptΒ ππ ππ. The purpose was for the common pharaoh to promote his own rule πΎ, and what better way to do that than to use statuesΒ πππππΎπͺ, templesΒ ππππ¦, etc. that already are made!?
It is always funny to see a statue πππππΎ that has the facial features of one pharaoh ππ», but has the name ππ of another pharaoh ππ» on it! Rameses II ππ πππ³πΊππ΄π did this all the time – that manβs name ππ is everywhere!
The Temple of Dendur is gorgeous π€ – the room that it is located in makes it actually feel like you are along the Nile River ππππ ±ππππΊ in Egypt ππ ππ!
This room is one of my absolute favorite places – sometimes I like to sit on one of the benches and just enjoy the atmosphere of it! Visiting the temple only makes me want to go to Egypt ππ ππ more!
The temple πππ was actually commissioned by Augustus and building was complete by 10 B.C. Dendur is located in Nubia, and is just south of Aswan. Even though the temple πππ was built by Augustus, it definitely follows Egyptian style and not Roman style. The emperor is actually presented as a pharaoh ππ» worshipping Egyptian gods πΉπΉπΉ on the walls of the temple πππ. The temple πππ was primarily used to worship the goddess πΉπ Isis π¨ππ₯.
Ostraca are basically the ancient Egyptian version of a sketch pad or scrap paper! They were used by scribes πππͺ or artists to practice their craft! The ostraca were usually chips of limestone or broken pottery.
These ostraca at the MET are very awesome because they depict Senemut π’ππ πΌ!! Senemut π’ππ πΌ was Hatshepsutβs π³π¦π most trusted advisor (and in my opinion, they were definitely much closer than that π). Senemut π’ππ πΌ was not only the tutor for Hatshepsutβs π³π¦π daughter π π Neferure π³π€ π€ π€, the royal architect in charge of Deir el-Bahri, but he was also the Steward to Amun πππΊππ π at Karnak.
The sketch of Senemut π’ππ πΌ on these ostraca are very similar to the sketches of Senemut π’ππ πΌ that are seen in his tomb!
These were always some of my favorite pieces to see as a kid! Not only because it was Senemut π’ππ πΌ, but also I loved seeing how the Egyptians πππππͺ used to do things!! Seeing the grids and seeing their βsketch padsβ allowed me a glimpse into just how some of this incredible art was created!
This bronze statue at the MET is from the Ptolemaic Period (664 – 31 B.C.E.) represents Isis π¨ππ₯, Osiris πΉπ¨π and Horus π π- the main triad of the Egyptian pantheon.
Here, Horus π π is represented in his Greek form Harpokrates, with his trademarked “finger to lips” pose. This pose represents the βbe quietβ gesture because to the Greeks Harpokrates was the god πΉ of silence. What is interesting about this piece is that there are suspension loops on the back of Osiris πΉπ¨π and Harpokrates – this piece is probably too big to be worn as a necklace, so the loops may have some type of unknown symbolic significance.
Many gods πΉπΉπΉ in the Egyptian pantheon appeared in groups of threes πΌ, which were known as Triads. They were groups of gods πΉπΉπΉ that usually have some type of familial significance to each other. For example, one of the Memphis triads during this period was Ptah πͺπππ±, Sekhmet πππ ππ, and Nefertem π€πππππ―. Nefertem π€πππππ― is the son of Ptah πͺπππ± and Sekhmet πππ ππ, just like Horus π π is the son of Isis π¨ππ₯ and Osiris πΉπ¨π!!
This is one of the grand, large kneeling statues πππππΎπͺ of Hatshepsut ππ ππΉππππΌπͺ that were found during excavations of her temple at Deir el-Bahri. The excavations were a joint operation between the MET and the Egyptian government.
In this statue πππππΎ, Hatshepsut ππ ππΉππππΌπͺ is depicted wearing the nemes headcloth, a false beard on her chin, and is kneeling with a nemset jar π in each hand π§ππΊ. These were meant to be offerings to the god πΉ Amun ππ π- an inscription on the statue πππππΎ states that Hatshepsut ππ ππΉππππΌπͺ is offering “maat” to Amun ππ π- while Maat ππ΄π£ππ¦ was the goddess of truth, “maat” was also a concept held dearly by Hatshepsut ππ ππΉππππΌπͺ. Her reign was guided by order, truth, and justice – all the principles of maat.
Hatshepsut ππ ππΉππππΌπͺ is seen kneeling, which is not too common for a Pharaoh ππ» since they were considered to be gods πΉπΉπΉ on Earth. However, since Hatshepsut ππ ππΉππππΌπͺ was making an offering to the god πΉ Amun ππ π, she did this in a kneeling position. A pharaoh ππ» kneeled for no one – except for another god πΉ.
From this angle, the statue πππππΎ looks even more grand! I also love pink granite, which many of Hatshepsut’s ππ ππΉππππΌπͺ statues πππππΎπͺ are made out of. Granite is an extremely dense and durable rock (hence why it is used for countertops today), and these statues πππππΎπͺ of Hatshepsut ππ ππΉππππΌπͺ were definitely built to last.
The image above is of the cartouches of Hatshepsutβs throne name, Maatkare π³π¦π.
This is a small, kneeling statue πππππΎ of Hatshepsut ππ ππΉππππΌπͺ made out of black/pink granite! The black and pink granite is traditionally found in Aswan (Upper Egypt). In the USA, black and pink granite is commonly found in Nevada and other western states! This piece is in the MET.
While not as grand as some of her other statues πππππΎπͺ that adorned her temple πππ at Deir el-Bahri, this one makes quite an impression. There are at least eight of these statues πππππΎπͺ, and many of them are in the MET. They were most likely used to line the upper court at her temple πππ, and are thought to be intended for her Heb Sed festival (a festival used to celebrate 30 πππ years of rule, and then celebrated every three πΌ years after the initial 30 πππ). Hatshepsut ππ ππΉππππΌπͺ, ever the Pharaoh ππ» to break from tradition, instead celebrated hers in the 16th ππΏ year of her rule!
In this statue, Hatshepsut ππ ππΉππππΌπͺ is kneeling and is seen holding the nemset jar π. The jar π has the djed pillar π½ adorning the front. The djed pillar π½ is thought to be the spine of Osiris πΉπ¨π, and it represents stability and endurance – both are attributes a Pharaoh ππ» needed in order to be a successful ruler!
The sarcophagus of Wereshnefer is a really interesting piece in the MET. Wereshnefer was a priest of the goddesses πΉππͺ Mut ππΏπ, Nephytys π ππ, Satis π΄ππππ and Neith ππππ and he lived during the 30th Dynasty to the early Ptolemaic Period. Despite being a priest πΉπ in Upper Egypt ππ ππ, his sarcophagus was found at Saqqara.
One of the interesting things about his very large coffin is that the funerary/religious texts that are engraved into the stone are from writings that predate Wereshnefer by about one thousand years! The lid (which is pictured) shows images and texts related to the sun’s journey through the sky πͺππ― during the day πππΊπ³, which in Egyptian religion, acts as a metaphor for the journey from death π ππ± to life πΉ that one would take while accompanying the sun π³πΊ.
What is so interesting about Wereshnefer’s sarcophagus is that it shows the Earth πΎπΎ as being round. This is the first evidence that scientists and historians have of the Earth πΎπΎ being depicted as a round object (as we know, most people thought that the Earth πΎπΎ was flat). Nut πππ―π, the goddess πΉπ of the sky πͺππ―, is seen arched over the rounded Earth πΎπΎ and is supported by Shu ππ ±π, the god πΉ of the atmosphere. At Nut’s πππ―π feet is Geb π ππ, the god πΉ of the Earth πΎπΎ. It is fascinating to me that the Egyptians πππππͺ would depict the Earth as being round!
