THE FUNERARY STELA OF AMENY
Artist
Place of production Abydos (?), Egypt
Date 1773–1650 B.C.
Object type religious or cult object Medium, technique Sandstone
Dimensions 27.5 x 32 cm Inventory number 51.2144 Collection Egyptian Art
On view Museum of Fine Arts, Basement Floor, Ancient Egypt, Daily life
This roughly carved funerary stela dates from the late Middle Kingdom, a period characterized by slow political decline. The birth name of the owner has not been preserved, only his “beautiful name”, Ameny, is recognizable.
The title “outline draughtsman” before the owner’s name gives the social position of Ameny: his job was to prepare the depictions to be made on walls, stelae and sculptures by marking the outlines in red. The adoring figure of the owner can be observed in the middle of the stela, beside him the following caption can be read: “adoration of the god on the occasion of the Great Procession”. The god in question is Osiris, lord of the netherworld, whose cult statue left the temple of Abydos during festival processions and those who set up their stelae along the
processional route could thus meet the god. The names of the deceased’s relatives are listed next to and under the scene.
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