Statuette of a Male Deity
Egyptian, Classical, Ancient Near Eastern Art
This figure’s large wig and unusual clothing, which consists of a penis sheath attached to a belt, indicate that he is a deity, but his exact identity is uncertain. Made for either a temple or a king’s tomb, this statue was the product of a royal workshop, where very hard stone such as gneiss was finely and carefully modeled. This depiction of the god’s strong, youthful body reflects the ideal of the male form in Old Kingdom sculpture.
MEDIUM
Gneiss
DATES
ca. 2625–2500 B.C.E.
DYNASTY
Dynasty 4
PERIOD
Old Kingdom
DIMENSIONS
8 1/2 × 3 3/4 × 3 1/2 in. (21.6 × 9.5 × 8.9 cm)
(show scale)
ACCESSION NUMBER
58.192
CREDIT LINE
Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund
CATALOGUE DESCRIPTION
Statuette in Khafre diorite of a standing man, perhaps a diety or nome god. Conventional pose, with left leg advanced, hands by sides, knife clasped in right hand. Plain wig, beard and Libyan phallic sheath. Sculpture stands against round-topped uninscribed stela.
Preserved only to knees.
Condition: Preserved only to knees. Right hand broken, left elbow chipped. Minor and scattered chips.
MUSEUM LOCATION
This item is not on view
CAPTION
Statuette of a Male Deity, ca. 2625–2500 B.C.E. Gneiss, 8 1/2 × 3 3/4 × 3 1/2 in. (21.6 × 9.5 × 8.9 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 58.192. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 58.192_threequarter_SL1.jpg)
IMAGE
threequarter, 58.192_threequarter_SL1.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph
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RIGHTS STATEMENT
Creative Commons-BY
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Tell me more.
This statue is dated to 5th Dynasty based on the style of the facial features and other carving elements. Interestingly, his hairstyle and garments were already old fashioned by the time this statue was created. These elements have origins generations before the first kings of a unified Egypt. Depictions of men wearing penis sheaths are well-known on decorated stone palettes from the Pre- to Early Dynastic Period (at least 500 to 1000 years before this sculpture) and may even represent the style of people from a particular region.
