Qen-Bersha Monster-Headed Stela
3rd Dynasty, Gezira Muzayfa
This palette comes from excavations at Gezira Muzayfa, the main site for evidence of King Desheret of the 3rd Dynasty. It utilizes two mythical monstrous beings in the center to symbolize uniting the Two Lands. The rabbit-like figure at the bottom of the image represents the enemies of Egypt being trampled upon. Tick marks along the side of the palette may have been used during ceremonies for ritual purposes or else as a way to evaluate the annual Nile inundation.
Funerary Stela of Qeny-Djehuty (8th Dynasty)
This funerary stela belonged to Qeny-Djehuty, a normarch in Egypt’s 49th nome. Read from left-to-right, it contains a formula dedicating the tomb to Hathor, Goddess of the West as indicated by the opening hieroglyphs and the presence of Hathor’s standard on the top of the stela. The owner is shown sitting, a sign he was a servant to the goddess rather than her equal. Before him is a table of showing a series of fans, offerings for the goddess. In real life, these would lie face down, but are shown vertical in order to showcase the volume of offerings presented.
Red-lined figure of Re-Horakhty (18th dynasty, provenance unknown)
This ostracon was likely a practice piece given the use of space and red pigment. Note as well the presence of an original leg that was erased and redrawn. The subtle attention to lining and corrections indicate an apprentice and instructor working together to improve the accuracy and consistency of the god’s depiction.