Painted Wooden Stela

This painted wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 is an absolutely beautiful 𓄤𓆑𓂋 piece from the Third Intermediate Period (22nd Dynasty, c. 825–712 B.C.E.) and one of my favorites to see at the MET. 

This stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 depicts the god 𓊹 Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 leading the deceased woman, Tjanetiset, to the deity 𓊹 Ra-Horakhty 𓅊𓏔𓏔𓏤. This imagery 𓏏𓅱𓏏 is very common on stelae 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 from this time period. Ra-Horakhty 𓅊𓏔𓏔𓏤 is the combination of the deities Ra 𓇳𓏺𓁛 and Horus 𓅃𓀭 and he is the god 𓊹 of the morning sun 𓅃𓈌𓏏𓏭𓀭. Images 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦  and depictions of Ra-Horakhty 𓅊𓏔𓏔𓏤 in funerary art became more prominent during the Late Period. 

I love this piece so much because it looks like Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 and the woman Tjanetiset are holding hands and he is leading her to Ra-Horakhty 𓅊𓏔𓏔𓏤! What’s very interesting is what is in Tjanetiset’s other hand! If you look closely, she is holding a heart in her hand 𓇋𓃀𓄣 and it looks like she is holding it in an offering position to Ra-Horakhty 𓅊𓏔𓏔𓏤. 

In ancient Egyptian religion/culture, the heart 𓇋𓃀𓄣 was not only the center of a person’s life 𓋹, but also thinking, memory, and moral values. The heart 𓇋𓃀𓄣 was not removed during the mummification 𓋴𓂧𓐍𓅱𓐎 process, because the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 person would need it on their journey through the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. 

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