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Height: 58.100 cm
EA 55722
Ancient Egypt and Sudan
Egypt in the Old Kingdom
Ebony statue of Meryrahashtef
This is one of several wooden statues found in the tomb of Meryrahashtef, an overseer of farmers in the provincial town of Sedment. The tombs of wealthy individuals of the late Old Kingdom often contained a group of such statues showing the owner in a range of poses and costumes.
As with the statue of Tjeti, Meryrahashtef is shown naked, probably a reference to the hope for rebirth. Meryrahashtef is shown as a young man, though his skeleton shows that he reached maturity. This idealization is typical of Egyptian art, which sought to represent everything in its most perfect form. The carving of the muscles, particularly on the chest and legs conveys an impression of activity.
An unusual feature is that the statue is carved from a single piece of wood, rather than having the arms made separately and attached with mortice and tenon joints. The quality of the carving of this statue suggests that it was made by a master craftsman. Finely-carved wooden statues were probably not considered inferior to stone ones, as wood was a precious commodity in Egypt due to its scarcity.