<em>Relief Fragment of King Ahmose and Queen</em>, ca. 1539–1514 B.C.E. Basalt (probably), gesso or plaster, 4 3/4 x 8 1/4 x 2 15/16 in. (12 x 20.9 x 7.4 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 81.183. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 81.183_negC_bw_IMLS.jpg)

Relief Fragment of King Ahmose and Queen, ca. 1539–1514 B.C.E. Basalt (probably), gesso or plaster, 4 3/4 x 8 1/4 x 2 15/16 in. (12 x 20.9 x 7.4 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 81.183. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 81.183_negC_bw_IMLS.jpg)

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Relief Fragment of King Ahmose and Queen

Egyptian, Classical, Ancient Near Eastern Art

On this fragment from a stela, King Ahmose is shown in sunk relief, wearing a simple, short wig and the royal uraeus-cobra. Originally, a queen—probably either his wife or mother—was depicted standing behind him. According to the inscription, the stela showed Ahmose presenting an offering to Amun, god of his family's house at Thebes. The royal family's devotion to Amun elevated the deity to national status and made Karnak, site of his main temple, one of the greatest religious structures ever built in Egypt.

MEDIUM Basalt (probably), gesso or plaster

GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATIONS

Place made: Egypt
Possible place collected: Thebes (Karnak), Egypt

DATES ca. 1539–1514 B.C.E.

DYNASTY Dynasty 18

PERIOD New Kingdom

DIMENSIONS 4 3/4 x 8 1/4 x 2 15/16 in. (12 x 20.9 x 7.4 cm) (show scale)

COLLECTIONS Egyptian, Classical, Ancient Near Eastern Art

ACCESSION NUMBER 81.183

CREDIT LINE Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund

CATALOGUE DESCRIPTION Irregularly shaped green stone fragment of stela with sunk relief inscription and representation: two columns of hieroglyphs and cartouche of King Ahmose; beneath cartouche, head and left shoulder of Ahmose, king wearing ibes-headgear and uraeus, angle of arm and shoulder suggest arm was extended forward, presumably offering object to figure of god (Amun?); behind king, head of queen wearing twin plumed headdress with uraeus; oblique line in upper left corner quite probably plume of Amun's headdress. Condition: Excellent; traces of plaster or gesso in some of the hieroglyphs, on top of the king's headdress, and in the queen's uraeus.

EXHIBITIONS

Egypt Reborn: Art for Eternity

MUSEUM LOCATION This item is not on view

CAPTION Relief Fragment of King Ahmose and Queen, ca. 1539–1514 B.C.E. Basalt (probably), gesso or plaster, 4 3/4 x 8 1/4 x 2 15/16 in. (12 x 20.9 x 7.4 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 81.183. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 81.183_negC_bw_IMLS.jpg)

IMAGE overall, 81.183_negC_bw_IMLS.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph

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RIGHTS STATEMENT Creative Commons-BY

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