Stela



Accession Number
EC148
Current Location
House of Life (first floor), Stela
Object Type
Architecture, Architectural element, Stela
Period
First Intermediate Period
Material
Stone/minerals (Limestone)
Provenance
Egypt, Gebelein | Egypt, Naqada
Measurements
Height: 430mm | Width: 335mm | Depth: 80mm
Number of Elements
1

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Description

A roughly cut limestone stela dating to the First Intermediate Period. The stela is divided into two sections, with hieroglyphs on the right and two figures on the left. The right side consists of four horizontal lines of hieroglyphs containing the offering formula addressed to Osiris. The inclusion of the phrase "in all his places" on the second line is typical of the Eleventh Dynasty (Bennett 1941). The text identifies the owner as a woman called Hetepwt. Below the inscription is a low offering table containing four vessels. On the left, Hetepwt is depicted holding a lotus with a long stem in her left hand. Her name is written before her face, with two columns of hieroglyphs located in front of her. Her right hand grasps the hand of a male figure who stands behind her. The identity of this person is unknown, although his name is perhaps Merer. Traces of red paint can be seen on some hieroglyphs and the male figure. Stylistically, the stela possibly originates from Gebelein or Naqada. It was purchased by Wellcome at auction in 1907 from the collection of Robert de Rustafjaell.

Bibliography

Bennett, C. J. C. 1941. Growth of the ḥtp-di͗-nsw formula in the Middle Kingdom. Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 27, 77-82. Pitkin, Melanie Louise 2017. New perspectives for dating Egyptian false doors and funerary stelae of the First Intermediate Period. PhD thesis: Macquarie University. [nr. 398, pp. 324, 378, pl. CCXLVI]