Depicting a series of offering bearers facing to the right, beneath a raised area of hieroglyphic inscription carved in vertical columns, this fragment has been identified as joining to the lower part of the tomb relief of an official named Ankhu (Museum of Fine Arts Boston 1971.403). The anonymous offering bearer on the far right carries a tray of food offerings which is continued on the larger Boston fragment, while he is followed on this fragment by a man holding a sealed jar and a large piece of meat. The third figure in the procession carries a papyrus plant and holds a tray of offerings including a plucked duck or goose, a calf’s head, and bread loaves. Although the Boston relief is said to be from the Fayum district, this official is also known from a statue found at Aswan, and Simpson argued that these reliefs might derive from a tomb located in that region. Ankhu’s main title was “Overseer of Fields,” and his tomb biography on the relief in Boston indicates that earlier in his career he had been a scribe at a temple of Senwosret III of the 12th Dynasty. His relatively high status is underscored by the fact that his mother Merestekh was styled “member of the elite” and “sister of a king.”
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Intact as preserved. Various worn nicks and chips to the surface, including chipping to the face of the right hand figure and a large flaked chip to the surface of the sack. Overall with surface dirt staining. Drilled on the lower edge with insertion of two short metal tangs.
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Lot 104Sale 22758
SECOND INTERMEDIATE PERIOD, 13TH DYNASTY, CIRCA 1786-1663 B.C.AN EGYPTIAN LIMESTONE RELIEF FRAGMENTEstimate: GBP 6,000 - 8,000
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