Nectanebo II - Egypt's Last Native Pharaoh

Figure 1 - Nectanebo II offers to Osiris

     Nectanebo II came to the throne as the result of winning a civil war against Teos (who reigned from 362 - 360 B. C.). Nectanebo was able to remain on the throne until 343 B. C., when the Persians once again conquered Egypt.

Figure 2 - Osiris Homag

     Nectanebo did some construction at Behbeit el Hagar where some of his carvings honor Osiris and Isis. In this black granite carving (now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art), Nectanebo II appears twice making two different offerings to Osiris Homag. On the left he offers the contents of two pots, while on the right he offers a collar.

     The scenes shown here have some unusual features to them. In figure 1, notice the lightly carved straight line that separates Osiris and the Pharaoh in both of the two offering scenes. I am not aware of any other offering scene in Egyptian art where the god and the King are separated this way. Also note in figure 2 that Osiris is shown here in human form, rather than in mummiform. This is not common in Egyptian art.

     The carving appears to be incomplete as the representation of Osiris on the right holds nothing in its hands, in contrast with the representation of the god on the left side of the scene.


Photos copyright (c) 2013 by John Freed

Snow in Cairo for First Time in 112 Years

Check out this link to some pictures of the snow in Cairo. I particularly like the second photo with the pyramids and sphinx made of snow.

Cleopatra's Needle at the Met

     The Metropolitan Museum opened an exhibit dedicated to "Cleopatra's Needle" on December third. Cleopatra's Needle is an Egyptian obelisk originally erected by Tuthmose III in Helipopolis about 1,400 years before Cleopatra. It arrived in New York in 1880 and was erected in Central Park, near the then recently opened Metropolitan Museum.

      The exhibit will also cover the fascination for obelisks through the ages, from Caesar Augustus moving obelisks to Rome to the erection of obelisks in London, Istanbul and New York among other places.

     I have not yet seen the exhibit, but will give an update once I do.

More Tombs in the Valley of the Kings?

A team of archaeologists have been collecting data in Egypt's Valley of the Kings and they believe that there are several more tombs waiting to be discovered according to a recent announcement. The archaeologists have also found an ancient flood control system designed to keep water from damaging the royal tombs.

The team admits however, that the geology of the Valley sometimes leads to "false positives" for tombs. These false positives are caused by faults and cracks in the stone. Possible tomb sites would need to be excavated to determine if a tomb actually exists.

Middle Kingdom Rectangular Coffins

Figure 1 - head end of the coffin of Khnumnakht

     The painted wooden coffins of the Middle Kingdom are frequently quite beautiful objects to look at. Earlier I posted some pictures of the famous coffin of Djehuty-Nakht, now in the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. This time I have some photos of the coffin of Khnumnakht to show. This coffin is from Asyut and is now in the Metropolitan Museum.

     This coffin is interesting for several reasons, not the least of which is the figure of a goddess on the head end of the coffin. A representation of a goddess on the head or foot end of a coffin  is rare before the Thirteenth Dynasty (Hayes, William. The Scepter of Egypt, vol. 1, New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1953, 318 - 9). It is also an unusual representation of a goddess in that it might represent both Isis and Nieth (again, from Hayes, Scepter). Notice that the goddess has two cylindrical oil jars on her head, which is nothing like the representations of Isis and Nephthys which would become common on coffins starting in Dynasty Thirteen.

Figure 2 - hieroglyphs from the coffin of Khnumnakht

Figure 3 - Hieroglyphs from the coffin of Khnumnakht

     Figures 2 and 3 show details of the the hieroglyphs painted on to the coffin. These photos do not do full justice to the talent of the artist who executed these paintings. If you have a chance to visit the Met, please look carefully at this coffin and admire the detail work in these paintings, especially the owl in figure 2 and the quail chick in figure 3.




Photos copyright (c) 2013 by John Freed

The Details in Assyrian Carving

Figure 2 - face of a winged bull of Ashurnasirpal

     One of the the things that I enjoy when I visit a collection of Assyrian art is the detail work that goes into the monumental carvings that decorated royal palaces. For instance, take a look at figure 1, which is the face of one of the winged bulls from the palace of Ashurnasirpal in the Metropolitan Museum. Look carefully at the facial hair. The beard is shown tightly curled at the chin, but has a different style below that. Also, notice how the mustache is curled at the end and how some of the hair is wrapped around the rest of the mustache to help it hold its style. Also, note the lock of hair peeking out below the figures helmet.

     In figure 2, we see a "winged genie" (for the lack of a better term to describe him). The photo here does not show the details of the feathers as clearly as I would like. Trust me, the details of the feathers are delicately carved and well worth a closer look.

Figure 2 - a winged genie carved with beautiful details in the beard and feathers

     Also in figure 2, notice how the genie's beard is also tightly curled at the chin, then styled differently for most of its length, although there are three more places where the hairs of the beard are tightly curled. It must have been a nightmare for Assyrian men to properly style their beards, assuming that Assyrian men really wore their them this way. Also note the how the hair that hangs down behind the neck is styled.

   

The Assyrian Sacred Tree

Figure 1 - the Assyrian "tree of life"(?)

     It is difficult to know what to make of the so-called Assyrian sacred tree. In spite of its name, it is likely not a real tree at all. Rather, it seems to be parts of several trees put together in some way. Different "branches" of the tree seem to be shown as being held together on a trellis or by ribbons and / or metal bands (Figure 2). In figure 1, the trunk of the tree is surmounted by a palmetto (this is typical) and has two sets of three rings holding the different pieces of the trunk together.

Figure 3 - a winged genie with a bucket (of water?)

Figure 2 - multiple branches joined together

     The meaning of this "tree" is not clear, although it does seem to have some religious meaning. Winged genies, possibly known as "Apkallu", in either the form of an eagle headed human or in the form of winged humans, are shown sprinkling water on these trees. The genie holds a bucket (of water?) and dips a pine cone into the bucket, and the sprinkles the water on the cone onto the tree. The significance of this is unclear although a connection to fertility rites has been suggested.

     Whatever this "tree" is, it must have been important to the Assyrians as many representations of winged genies sprinkling water on these trees is an extremely common motif in the decoration of the royal palaces. The photos here are from the palace of Ashurnasirpal and are now in the Metropolitan Museum in New York.

Figure 4 - an eagle-headed genie with a pine cone