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Unknown Maker, Egyptian

Head of a man
Now On View

Maker

Unknown Maker, Egyptian

Culture

Egyptian

Title

Head of a man

Period

Old Kingdom, Dynasty 6, 2323-2150 BCE

Year

2289-2246 BCE

Medium

Materials/Techniques

Techniques

Materials

wood

Dimensions

Height: 50.8 cm (20 inches)

Credit / Object Number

Credit

Gift of Mrs. Gustav Radeke

Object Number

25.031

Type

Publications

Exhibition History

Ancient Egyptian Galleries
Jun 10, 2014
Made For Eternity
Mar 15, 2013 – Dec 31, 2013

Label copy

While the body of the statue is missing, its head suggests the large size of the original sculpture, which would have been buried with its owner. Large pieces of wood, unusual in Egypt, were imported from what is modern-day Lebanon. The luxury status of wooden representations meant that only the wealthy could afford them, making this statue an object signifying high status. The qualities inherent in wood allowed Egyptians to create new forms of representation, and its soft surface allowed more expressive carving, seen here in the detail of the hair, brow, and lips. Wood, more easily worked than stone, allows for greater detail and individualization, seen here in the face.

Image use

The images on this website can enable discovery and collaboration and support new scholarship, and we encourage their use.

Public Domain This object is in the Public Domain and available under a CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication

Tombstone

Unknown Maker, Egyptian
Head of a man, 2289-2246 BCE
Wood
Height: 50.8 cm (20 inches)
Gift of Mrs. Gustav Radeke 25.031

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