Painted Wooden Stela
- WORDSWORTH WORDSMITHY
- Nov 16, 2024
- 1 min read
This painted wooden ๐ฑ๐๐บ stela ๐๐ ฑ๐๐ธ is an absolutely beautiful ๐ค๐๐ piece from the Third Intermediate Period (22nd Dynasty, c. 825โ712 B.C.E.) and one of my favorites to see at the MET.ย
This stela ๐๐ ฑ๐๐ธ depicts the god ๐น Anubis ๐๐๐ช๐ ฑ๐ฃ leading the deceased woman, Tjanetiset, to the deity ๐น Ra-Horakhty ๐ ๐๐๐ค. This imagery ๐๐ ฑ๐ is very common on stelae ๐๐ ฑ๐๐ธ from this time period. Ra-Horakhty ๐ ๐๐๐ค is the combination of the deities Ra ๐ณ๐บ๐ and Horus ๐ ๐ญ and he is the god ๐น of the morning sun ๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐ญ. Images ๐๐ ฑ๐๐ฆ ย and depictions of Ra-Horakhty ๐ ๐๐๐ค in funerary art became more prominent during the Late Period.ย
I love this piece so much because it looks like Anubis ๐๐๐ช๐ ฑ๐ฃ and the woman Tjanetiset are holding hands and he is leading her to Ra-Horakhty ๐ ๐๐๐ค! Whatโs very interesting is what is in Tjanetisetโs other hand! If you look closely, she is holding a heart in her hand ๐๐๐ฃ and it looks like she is holding it in an offering position to Ra-Horakhty ๐ ๐๐๐ค.ย
In ancient Egyptian religion/culture, the heart ๐๐๐ฃ was not only the center of a personโs life ๐น, but also thinking, memory, and moral values. The heart ๐๐๐ฃ was not removed during the mummification ๐ด๐ง๐๐ ฑ๐ process, because the deceased ๐ ๐๐ฑ person would need it on their journey through the afterlife ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐.ย
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This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost.ย
