tour 12 of 14
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.