Relief from the Tomb of Dagi

This beautiful 𓄤 limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 relief is from the tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 of a man 𓊃𓀀𓏤 named Dagi, who served as vizier 𓅷𓏏𓏺𓀀 and treasurer 𓋨𓅱 during the reign of Montuhotep II 𓏠𓈖𓍿𓅱𓊵𓏏𓊪 (Dynasty 11, c. 2010–2000 B.C.E.). It is unclear if the two 𓏻 men 𓋴𓂋𓀀 shown in this relief are Dagi’s sons, or if they are other officials 𓋴𓂋𓀀𓏦. The two 𓏻 men 𓋴𓂋𓀀 are wearing blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 armlets 𓄟𓋴𓎡𓏏𓅱𓏪 and broad collars 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝. This type of jewelry, while expensive to obtain in real life, was very common to see in reliefs.

While very simple, the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 in this relief show the name “𓊨𓏏𓅭”, which is pronounced as “Saiset” and translates to “Son of Isis.” This is actually one of the earliest examples of the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 actually being used as part of a name 𓂋𓈖.

I am always a big fan of the simple reliefs that have a ton of color. It’s amazing how artifacts that are so old are still able to retain their color and beauty after thousands of years. No matter how many times I see stuff like this, it always amazes me!