Isis Nursing the Child Horus
ca. 664–525 B.C.E.
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Object Label
The Heliopolitan creation myth provided some of the prototypes for Egyptian queenship. Isis, for example, served as the faithful wife and aide of the ruling monarch Osiris and as the mother of the future king Horus.
Caption
Isis Nursing the Child Horus, ca. 664–525 B.C.E.. Slate, 7 1/2 x 1 5/8 x 4 1/4 in. (19.1 x 4.1 x 10.8 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 37.938E. (Photo: Brooklyn Museum)
Title
Isis Nursing the Child Horus
Date
ca. 664–525 B.C.E.
Dynasty
Dynasty 26
Period
Late Period
Geography
Reportedly from: Saqqara, Egypt
Medium
Slate
Classification
Dimensions
7 1/2 x 1 5/8 x 4 1/4 in. (19.1 x 4.1 x 10.8 cm)
Credit Line
Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund
Accession Number
37.938E
Frequent Art Questions
It describes gods Isis, Osiris, etc. as “first royal family.” Were they historical figures?
Isis, Osiris, and related figures weren't, as far as we know, real historical figures, but figures of myth. That said, their believed relationship to real Egyptian rulers was an important aspect of these gods. All Egyptian kings were thought to become Osiris when they died, for instance. They can best be described as legendary figures: ancient Egyptians believed that they lived on earth at some point in the very distant past.What is the term that describes the kind of pictorial writing found on these statues?
In general, the writing on the pieces you'll see in the galleries can all be referred to as Egyptian hieroglyphs or simply hieroglyphs, the writing system used in ancient Egypt.
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