Ancient Galleries Label Copy
Curator: Dr. Robert Cohon, Curator, Art of the Ancient World
May 8, 2010
Gallery P1: Egypt
Torso of Archibios
Mendes, Egypt
Ptolemaic Period
2nd century b.c.e.
Gray granite
One of the most powerful officials of his time, Archibios was the equivalent of
Egypt’s prime minister. He dedicated this statue of himself to stand in eternal prayer in a sanctuary
before the Great God of Mendes.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 47-1
Ushebtis of Meret-it-es
Egypt
Late Period to Ptolemaic Period, 30th Dynasty to early Ptolemaic
Dynasty
ca. 380–250 b.c.e.
Faience
The ancient Egyptian government sometimes required of its people
hard communal agricultural work. Concernedthat such governments might exist in the hereafter,
Egyptians created ushebtis to perform these tasks. As is clear on the large ushebtis, the figure’s
crossed left hand holds a pick to open hard ground; the right hand grips a hoe to mix clay for brickmaking. Meret-it-es’ name is on each ushebti; a long spell summoning them to work appears on the
larger ones. (Ushebti appropriately means ―responder.‖) Meret-it-es was buried with 305 ushebtis. The
14 large ones supervised the 291 others. The small ushebtis are ordered here in three groups
corresponding to the different arrangements of hieroglyphs on them. By careful observation,
archaeologists have determined that one group of artists made the small ushebtis on the left; another
group of artists made those on the right; two other groups made those in the middle.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust (by exchange)2007.12..7-113;115–312
Feeding the Ka
The vital force of the deceased—the ka—required food to survive in the afterlife. Relatives and
priests were expected to bring
food-offerings to the tomb, but Egyptians also employed other methods of providing nourishment
as seen by the bread-making servant and relief here.
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
Ancient Galleries Label Copy
May, 2010
Servant Kneading Dough
Egypt
Old Kingdom, 5th Dynasty
ca. 2494–2345 b.c.e.
Painted limestone
This stone figure was meant to magically come alive and make bread for the spirit of the deceased in
the afterlife. He leans into his work, his arms stiff as he vigorously rolls the dough before him.
Like Kansas today, the rich Nile Valley was perfect for growing grain. Thus bread—along with
beer—was a steady part of the Egyptians’ diet. The bread, however, was not always good for them.
Oftentimes wind-borne desert sand became mixed with the dough, causing cavities and toothaches.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 35-17
Stele of Se-ankhy and Ankhu
Abydos
Middle Kingdom, 12th Dynasty
ca.1970–1950 b.c.e.
Limestone
In this early work, a deceased husband and wife stand before a table stacked high
with food, a necessity for continued existence in the hereafter. Prayers for food appear above the
scene. The relief stood in Abydos, a sacred site. The hope was that pilgrims passing by the relief
(and many others like it) would recite the prayers for food and thereby magically ensure that the
spirits of the deceased would have everything—and more—pictured on the table. The goose lying
on its back and the bovine leg were, no doubt, a special treat.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 35-17
Vase
Egypt
Roman Period, 1st century c.e.
Faience
This vase was probably from a tomb and may have even held a beverage for the
deceased’s spirit. The vessel’s imagery and color express the deceased’s hope for resurrection. The
rich green plants were reborn each spring. The snakes—colored green like plants—regularly shed
their old scales, and new skins miraculously appeared as though they were reborn.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 32-111
Model Boat
Possibly from Meir, Egypt
Middle Kingdom, late 12th Dynasty
ca. 1855–1795 b.c.e.
Carved and painted wood
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
Ancient Galleries Label Copy
May, 2010
In Egypt, the boat was as common as a Yellow Taxi in New York. The Nile was a superhighway.
Since the current flowed south to north, one could easily row northward; because winds blew from
north to south, sailing south was even easier. Found in an early tomb, our boat and rowers served to
magically transport the resurrected deceased on a Nile flowing through the hereafter. The boat heads
north: mast down, the rowers are at work. Although the boat’s function is practical, its hull is elegant
and graceful, a fine work of art. For more sculptures that were meant to come to life and serve the
spirit of the deceased, see the statuettes on the wall to your right.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 41-4
Anubis
Egypt
Late Period to Ptolemaic Period, 26th Dynasty to Ptolemaic Dynasty
664–32 b.c.e.
Bronze with silver inlay
Protector of cemeteries and guide to the afterlife, the god Anubis stands here with a
human body and jackal head. Anubis was soclosely connected with embalming that priests
mummifying corpses wore a jackal’s mask. An Egyptian offered this statue as a gift to Anubis,
hoping for a favor in return—so much so that he paid for expensive silver decoration on Anubis’
dress and eye. Other images of Anubis as a seated jackal appear on Meret-it-es’ large outer coffin
behind you.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 57-105
Beastly Gods, Unholy Animals
The ancient Egyptians chose certain appropriate animals to represent particular characteristics of the
gods. For example, cows came to represent the goddess Hathor because she was as maternal as cows
were thought to be. Egyptians did not, however, think that their gods actually resembled animals.
While the Egyptians also believed that certain animals were special to particular deities and that
occasionally a god might temporarily enter the animal’s body, the Egyptians did not worship any
species of animal.
Ibis Head and Striding Ibis
Egypt
Late Period to Ptolemaic Period, 26th Dynasty to Ptolemaic
Dynasty
664–32 b.c.e.
Bronze and wood
The ibis (EYE-bis) was a bird that was special to Thoth, god of wisdom and the moon and patron
deity of scribes. The curved beak suggested the crescent moon; its length and sharp tip, a scribe’s
reed pen. Hoping for a favor in return, Egyptians regularly sacrificed ibis mummies to Thoth. Our
striding ibis with its delicately rendered talons and elegant beak may have held a mummified ibis in
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Ancient Galleries Label Copy
May, 2010
its body. Images of Thoth with an ibis head and human body appear on Meret-it-es’ upright inner
coffin behind you.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 43-30
Inner Coffin Labels
Inner Coffin of Meret-it-es (front view)
Egypt
Late Period to Ptolemaic Period, 30th Dynasty to early Ptolemaic Dynasty
ca. 380–250 b.c.e.
Wood, pigment, gesso and gilding
Except for her missing mummy, almost everything buried with the noblewoman
Meret-it-es is here: this inner coffin, the outer coffin that contained it (to your left), the gold that lay
over the mummy (ahead to the right) and 305 statuettes (behind you).Although little is known about
Meret-it-es, her funerary equipment reveals much about Egyptian religion. Remarkably thick and
weighing 400 pounds, this coffin was meant to preserve Meret-it-es’s mummy so that her spirit
could live eternally in the hereafter. In part, to ensure that she would become a divine spirit, she is
portrayed as a god with golden flesh and blue hair; her unarticulated body resembles the mummified
ruler of the underworld, Osiris. In the center of the coffin the sky goddess Nut spreads her wings,
protecting Meret-it-es. A bit below this, Meret-it-es appears before the ibis-headed god Thoth,
having been accepted into the hereafter. High above, on the red plaque, she approaches Osiris: her
journey into the next world is complete. For more information, see the coffin’s back and the Solar
Guide and Underworld Guide on the wall to your right.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust (by exchange), 2007.12.2.A,B
Inner Coffin of Meret-it-es (back view)
Egypt
Late Period to Ptolemaic Period, 30th Dynasty to early Ptolemaic Dynasty
ca. 380–250 b.c.e.
Wood, pigment, gesso and gilding
The back of this coffin, like the front, magically ensured Meret-it-es’ resurrection in the afterlife.
The sun is consistently alluded to because Meret-it-es was supposed to be resurrected like the sun,
which is reborn each morning. Ihet, the sacred cow, appears behind Meret-it-es’ head; in the Book of
the Dead, Ihet is named the mother of Ra, the sun god; here, she magically warms and protects
Meret-it-es’ head. The baboons below greet the sun at dawn. The coffin’s bright yellow color
suggests the sun’s rays striking it to bring Meret-it-es’ spirit to life. The large columnar form below
the baboons, the djed-pillar, represented the backbone of Osiris, lord of the underworld. Its crossed
arms also allude to the mummiform pose of Osiris. For more information, see the Solar Guide and
Underworld Guide on the wall to your left.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust (by exchange), 2007.12.2.A,B
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
Ancient Galleries Label Copy
May, 2010
Gallery P2: Egypt
Outer Coffin Labels
Outer Coffin of Meret-it-es
Egypt
Late Period to Ptolemaic Period, 30th Dynasty to early Ptolemaic
Dynasty
ca. 380–250 b.c.e.
Wood, pigment and gesso
This outer coffin of the noblewoman Meret-it-es originally held the large inner coffin standing to
your left. Two coffins doubled the protection for the mummy. As long as the mummy was
preserved, the spirit of the deceased could exist in the hereafter. The paintings on the coffins also
ensured the spirit’s continued existence.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust (by exchange), 2007.12.1.A–C
Details:
Top of coffin
A human-headed bird flies to Meret-it-es’ mummy. This is her ba, something
akin to the modern idea of personality or soul.
Her ba must enter her mummy each evening for Meret-it-es’ spirit to be able to
walk among the living during the day. The long spell written in hieroglyphs
ensures this.
Chest (below), standing figures
These 42 judges have threatening names such as: Flaming One Who Came Forth
Backwards, Bone Breaker and Blood Eater. Each holds a large knife. Meret-it-es has
proclaimed her innocence to them, reciting 42 wicked things she did not do—as, for
example: ―Ihave not told lies,‖ ―I have not stolen,‖ ―My voice was not loud‖ and ―I
have not made lawsuits.‖ The judges have believed her and her spirit can now enter the
afterlife.
Short side of coffin, left side of case
Meret-it-es appears four times before two solar disks. She hopes to be
resurrected and thereby be like the sun, which is
reborn every morning. For more information, see the guides on the wall on the
opposite side of the display case.
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Ancient Galleries Label Copy
May, 2010
Lid, standing figures and jackals below
Divine powers protect Meret-it-es: the 12 Hours of the
Day (each crowned with a solar disk) on this
side; the Hours of the Night (each with a star) on the other
side; and Anubis, guardian of cemeteries, in his form as a
jackal over a tomb or shrine.
Statuettes of Nephthys (left) and Isis (right)
Egypt
Late Period to Ptolemaic Period, 30th Dynasty to early Ptolemaic
Dynastyca. 380–250 b.c.e.
Wood, pigment, gesso and gold leaf
Because the spirit of the deceased was likened to Osiris, the
resurrected god of the underworld, his sisters, Nephthys (left) and Isis (right), appear here.
Mourning and protecting Meret-it-es, they originally stood at the narrow ends of the coffin.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust (by exchange), 2007.12.5, 6
Mummy Mask of Meret-it-es
Egypt
Late Period to Ptolemaic Period, 30th Dynasty to early Ptolemaic Dynasty
ca. 380–250 b.c.e.
Cartonnage (linen or papyrus covered in plaster), paint and gold leaf
Pectoral of Meret-it-es
Egypt
Late Period to Ptolemaic Period, 30th Dynasty to early Ptolemaic Dynasty
ca. 380–250 b.c.e.
Cartonnage (linen or papyrus covered in plaster), paint and gold leaf
Apron of Meret-it-es
Egypt
Late Period to Ptolemaic Period, 30th Dynasty to early Ptolemaic Dynasty
ca. 380–250 b.c.e.
Cartonnage (linen or papyrus covered in plaster), paint and gold leaf
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Ancient Galleries Label Copy
May, 2010
These golden elements lay once directly over the mummy of Meret-it-es.
To help ensure that her spirit will be resurrected and exist for eternity, Meret-it-es is portrayed as a
god: her hair is blue; her flesh, golden. Further, the spirit of Meret-it-es is likened to Osiris, the ruler
of the underworld. Osiris’ mother, the sky goddess Nut, stretches her wings to protect Meret-it-es’
chest. Of the protecting deities on the rectangular apron below, the upper four are grandsons of
Osiris, and the lower two, his sisters (Isis on your left; Nephthys on your right).
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust (by exchange), 2007.12.3–4 A.B.
Myths and Mummies
The approximately 2,000-year-old mummy is of an unidentified man who probably died young.
Egyptian priests made the mummy by removing his internal organs and placing natron, a salt, inside
and outside his body. The natron absorbed the body’s moisture, eliminating any future bacterial
growth and turning the skin leather hard. The mummy was then wrapped in many yards of linen.
The entire process required about 70 days but preserved the body for millennia. Egyptians
mummified corpses because the deceased’s spirit could survive in the hereafter only if its body was
intact. A myth also explains why mummies were wrapped. The story’s central characters appear
above our mummy. Osiris (in the center) was lord of the earth, but his jealous brother, Seth, killed
him and chopped him into pieces. Osiris’ sisters, Isis (on the left) and Nephthys, gathered the
scattered parts of his body and joined them together by wrapping them in linen strips. Osiris came
to life, impregnated Isis, and became lord of the underworld; their son, Horus (on the right), became
lord of the earth. By wrapping mummies, Egyptians sought to make the corpse resemble Osiris so
that the deceased’s spirit would also live eternally in the hereafter.
(shelf, left to right)
Isis suckling Horus
Egypt
7th–1st century b.c.e.
Bronze with gold inlay
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 43-25
Osiris
Egypt
7th–1st century b.c.e.
Bronze with gold inlay
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 43-27
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
Ancient Galleries Label Copy
May, 2010
Horus as a child
Egypt
7th–1st century b.c.e.
Bronze with gold and silver inlay
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust. 55-100
Mummy of Ka-i-nefer
Egypt
ca. 200 b.c.e.–200 c.e.
Human remains, linen, resinous material
For Myths and Mummy see the labels to your far left.
Purchase: acquired through the generosity of Jean H. Deacy 2004.11
A Spell to Be Recited for the Mummy of Ka-i-nefer
To be recited: Peret kheru en ka en Ka-i-nefer
(A prayer for bread and beer for the ka of Ka-i-nefer.)
The Egyptian believed that the ka, the vital life force of the deceased, needed to be fed either with
actual food or through a spell so that the spirit of the deceased could continue living in the hereafter.
Accordingly, you may wish to utter this 4,500-year-old spell translated and sounded out above for
our mummy, Ka-i-nefer.
Gallery P3: Ancient Art (Egypt, Near East, Greece, Rome)
Case 13 – Mesopotamia
Some of Our Earliest Art…
This art dates to the third millennium b.c.e. and is among the earliest in the Museum. Some of these
works predate the Egyptian sculptures to your far right. Most of this art comes from Mesopotamia
(modern-day Iraq).
Already there is a clear interest here in themes and styles that can be traced for millennia throughout
Near Eastern art: the portrayal of both animals (often aggressive ones) and a love of pattern and
minute detail.
Support of a Vessel with Two Lions Attacking a Bull
Provenance unknown
Jamdat Nasr Period
ca. 3000 b.c.e.
Limestone
A struggle to kill and survive are portrayed by these two lions attacking a bull
between them (his rump is still visible). This scene formed the support of a vessel
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Ancient Galleries Label Copy
May, 2010
that probably stood in a temple. The precise religious significance of the scene remains unclear.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 35-319
Head of a Woman
Khafajah
Early Dynastic III
mid-3rd millennium b.c.e.
Limestone with shell and lapis lazuli
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 55-43
Foundation Figures
Girsu (modern Tello)
Second Dynasty of Lagash, reign of Gudea
ca. 2090 b.c.e.
Bronze
These two figures were set onto mud bricks in the foundations of a
temple. They magically protected the building. The bull horns on each figure’s cap indicate that a
god is portrayed; the same device reappears more than a thousand years later on the large relief to
your left.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust,30-1/50, 51
Vase
Tepe Giyan
Late 3rd millennium b.c.e.
Terracotta with paint
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust,35-37/8
The Art of Ur
Perfume Dropper
Silver and lapis lazuli
Bracelet
Gold and lapis lazuli
Early Dynastic III, mid-3rd millennium b.c.e.
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
Ancient Galleries Label Copy
May, 2010
Leaves from a Headdress
Gold
Earrings
Gold
In the late 1920s, archaeologists uncovered much of this jewelry in the royal
cemeteries of Ur, the home of the patriarch Abraham.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 33-356, 33-355/1–2, 33-364, 35-317/1
Case 14 - Luristan
Art on the Fringes of Power
The bronzes in this case come from Luristan, at the eastern edge of the Assyrian Empire (modernday western Iran). Although Luristan artists continued a Near Eastern preference for animals,
patterns and fine detail, they dramatically reconfigured the appearances of animals, stretching necks
and torsos and adding biting heads improbably here and there.
Assyria
Winged Genie Fertilizing a Date Tree
Nimrud 884–860 b.c.e.
Limestone
This relief comes from one of the largest kingdoms of the ancient Near East, the
Assyrian Empire. Along with many other reliefs, it lined the brick walls of the
palace of Ashurnasirpal II (Ash-ur-NAS-ir-pal) in Nimrud, the 9th-century b.c.e.
capital of Assyria. The relief depicts a winged genie fertilizing a highly stylized date tree; dates were
prized as a nutritious and easily preserved fruit. Although the process of artificially fertilizing date
trees was commonly practiced, the relief indicates that the bearing of fruit was regarded as an
awesome manifestation of the power of divine forces. The exaggerated muscles of the genie’s legs
and arms express this power, and the disproportionately large size of his raised right hand draws
attention to his labors. The finely detailed patterning of his wings, hair and garment is typical of
Near Eastern art. A cuneiform inscription across the relief records Ashurnasirpal’s many conquests,
all accomplished with divine support.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 40-17
Case 16 – Archaic Greek Art
Archaic Greek Art
The early Greek art in this case melds in almost equal proportions the abstract and realistic. Details
of each figure were rendered in lively paint.
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Ancient Galleries Label Copy
May, 2010
Banqueter
Possibly from southern Italy
Late 6th century b.c.e.
Terracotta
The sculpture portrays a banqueter attending a feast in honor of a deity; it probably stood as a gift to
this god in a temple. The figure may seem feminine to modern eyes. The long hair, however, was
common for men and the soft rendering of features, typical of the period.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 51-2
Kouros (Boy)
Probably from Atticaca.
490 b.c.e.
Marble
This head belonged to a statue probably set up over a tomb, depicting a nude,
striding youth. Made of marble, it must have been far more costly than the two terracotta sculptures
here. The artist was one of the best of his time, combining in harmonious curves the lips, eyes and
line of the curls.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust,38-7
Figure of a Youth
Possibly from Sicily
ca. 500–490 b.c.e.
Terracotta
This now-fragmentary sculpture may have portrayed a reclining banqueter such as
the figure below it. The extraordinary modeling of the body reveals rather realistic abdominals but
also a superb, geometrically designed arch marking the edge of the ribcage.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 48-54
Case 24 - Egyptian
Relief possibly of Nectanebo I or II
Egypt
Late Period, 30th Dynasty
380–343 b.c.e.
Limestone
Ancient Egypt knew no separation of church and state: a semi-divine ruler, the
pharaoh embodied both. Accordingly, he was the perfect chief priest, a suppliant to gods on behalf
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Ancient Galleries Label Copy
May, 2010
of Egypt. On this relief, the pharaoh makes an offering of wine to the gods. The artist has given
great attention to his work, delicately modeling the ear and snake (uraeus) that descends from the
crown, protecting the king.
Gift of Milton McGreevy, 51-75
Statuette of Achoris or Nectanebo I
Egypt
Late Period, 29th to 30th Dynasty
393–362 b.c.e.
Bronze
This pharaoh kneels down and extends his arms to make an offering to the gods.
The artist has vividly portrayed the king’s heavy, middle-aged face and the flesh of his thighs
spreading as they press down on his lower legs.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 53-13
Priest
Egypt
Late Period, 26th Dynasty
664–525 b.c.e.
Bronze
Hem-netjr, or ―servant of god,‖ is the Egyptian title for priests. In many instances
theirs was a part-time job, sometimes lasting just for a few months. This figure’s shaved head and
body define him as a priest. Humbly kneeling, he raises his hands in adoration of a now-unseen god.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 48-26
Portrait, possibly Ptolemy I
Egypt
Probably early Ptolemaic Period
ca. 305–250 b.c.e.
Gypsum
In 332 b.c.e. Alexander the Great conquered Egypt. His general Ptolemy became
its ruler and established a dynasty lasting until the famous Cleopatra VII. Some scholars have argued
that this is his portrait. The high quality of work, however, cannot be disputed. The remarkable
integration of forms, as for example the way the corners of the lips fold into the cheeks, makes it a
tour de force.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 34-141
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
Ancient Galleries Label Copy
May, 2010
Two-sided Relief with Portrait of a Pharaoh and Two Heads
Egypt
Late Period to Ptolemaic Period26th Dynasty to Ptolemaic Dynasty
664–32 b.c.e.
Limestone
Archaeologists often lack sufficient information to identify pharaohs portrayed in statues or reliefs
from late Egyptian history. Although the identity of this pharaoh remains a mystery, his soft flesh
and double chin provide a clear image of prosperous middle-age.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 41-44
Young Woman
Egypt
Late Period, possibly 26th to 25th Dynasty
7th century b.c.e.
Wood
Scholars have speculated this may be the wife of Mentu-em-hat, the main figure on
the relief to your left.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust,47-25
Case 27 – Tell el-Amarna (Egypt)
Boundary Stela with Queen Nefert-iti and Princess Meket-Aten
Tell el-Amarna
18th Dynasty
1353–1336 b.c.e.
Nummulitic limestone
The pharaoh Akh-en-Aten radically changed Egypt’s traditional religion. He believed not in many
gods, but in one—Aten, the great solar disk.
Akh-en-Aten’s wife Nefert-iti and their daughter Meket-Aten appear here worshipping Aten. This
relief belonged to a larger composition including Akh-en-Aten standing before them. Carved directly
onto a cliff, it was a boundary marker of the pharaoh’s new town, Akhet-Aten. His daughter’s nowmissing head had been carved on a separate stone (the cliff’s rock was poor here) and added. The
relief’s unprecedented artistic style reflects the radical newness of Akh-en-Aten’s faith. Nefert-iti is
portrayed with courtly elegance. Her jaw, ear, arms and fingers are brilliantly attenuated. Her lips are
full; her hands, delicate. Meket-Aten’s spindly legs emphasize her large thighs and hips, revealed—
surprisingly—under her nearly transparent dress. This artistic style and heretical religion ended soon
after Akh-en-Aten’s death. The relief of Ramses II to your right reflects the subsequent return to
Egyptian artistic traditions.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 44–65
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
Ancient Galleries Label Copy
May, 2010
Princess
Tell el-Amarna
New Kingdom, 18th Dynasty
ca. 1352–1336 b.c.e.
Limestone with paint
This daughter of Akh-en-Aten appears as a young teenager in the nude. Her fertility
is emphasized. She holds a pomegranate—a symbol of fecundity—in her raised
hand. Her arm frames and draws attention to her developing breasts. The narrowness of her
shoulders emphasizes the breadth of her hips. Traces of black still outline her large eyes; her full lips
were painted red. The large lock of hair to her side was a fashion reserved for the young. The style—
for example, the elongation of the skull—is unique to Akh-en-Aten’s reign.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 47–13
Funerary Jewelry
Tell el-Amarna
New Kingdom, 18th Dynasty
1336–1327 b.c.e.
Gold with lapis lazuli
Tut-ankh-Amun, or King Tut, ruled after the death of his father, Akh-en-Aten. Rejecting his father’s
belief in just one deity, Tut-ankh-Amun restored to Egypt the worship of its many traditional gods.
Some of Tut-ankh-Amun’s jewelry is displayed here. The sequins—there were a great many of
them— were sewn into his linen garment. The two falcons served as the ends of a necklace.
Representing the great Egyptian sky-god, Horus, they protected him. The inset blue lapis lazuli stone
was imported from distant Afghanistan.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 67-21/1-7
Egyptian: Old Kingdom
Statue of Metjetji
Saqqara
Old Kingdom, probably late 5th Dynasty
ca. 2375–2345 b.c.e.
Wood and gesso with paint, copper, alabaster and obsidian
Never meant for pleasurable public viewing in a museum, this sculpture was religious
in character and would have been seen by few Egyptians. It comes from a mastaba, a
funerary complex for the elite of 3rd-millennium b.c.e. Egypt. The deceased was buried in the
mastaba’s underground chamber. Located above were the mastaba’s chapel and a small room for a
statue like this one. Priests—usually the deceased’s close relatives—left food before the sculpture.
The deceased’s vital force—the ka—would leave the mummy, enter the statue and absorb the
essence of the food. The spirit of the deceased could thereby continue life in the hereafter. In all
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Ancient Galleries Label Copy
May, 2010
likelihood, the sculpture does not reflect Metjetji’s actual appearance. He is portrayed as young and
vigorous, as befits a vessel for his vital force. He probably died an older man.
The dryness of the desert and safety of the mastaba helped preserve this statue for 4,500 years.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 51-1
Metjetji with His Daughter and Son
Saqqara
Old Kingdom, probably late 5th Dynasty
ca. 2375–2345 b.c.e.
Limestone with paint
The two reliefs on this wall framed the entrance to the tomb of Metjetji. (His statue is
to your left.) Metjejti’s spirit appears striding outside the tomb among the living in
daylight. His spirit can venture forth in part because his vital life force has been fed by offerings left
in his tomb.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 52-7/2
Metjetji with His Sons
Saqqara
Old Kingdom, probably late 5th Dynasty
ca. 2375–2345 b.c.e.
Limestone with paint
This relief and its companion on your right stood at the entrance to the tomb of the
nobleman Metjetji. (His statue is also to your right.) Metjetji appears much bigger
than his two children at his feet. This reflects the relative importance of the figures rather than their
actual relative sizes. The artist has portrayed Metjetji with a large body and broad shoulders, but a
small head to make the image seem especially grand. Some 4,000 years later, Michelangelo used a
somewhat similar device in painting the Sistine Chapel.
The long inscriptions include Metjetji’s official titles.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 52-7/1
Nefu, Inspector of the Treasury
Giza
Old Kingdom, 5th Dynasty
ca. 2445–2345 b.c.e.
Limestone with paint
Nefu’s large wig, necklace and bracelets suggest prosperity—so too does his heavy,
middle-aged face. (Surprisingly, his thin moustache resembles those of 1930s movie stars.) Nefu
appears particularly lively: his eyes are wide open and attentive, his head leans slightly forward, his
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torso is taut and upright. This is appropriate: set in a chapel over his tomb chamber, the statue
served as a temporary vessel for his vital life force. Given the sculpture’s primarily magical function,
there is little reason to assume it accurately portrays Nefu.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 48-47
A Nobleman and His Wife
Egypt
Old Kingdom, 5th Dynasty
2494–2345 b.c.e.
Painted limestone
Husband and wife both wear wigs. The man’s wig was a status symbol not unlike
the powdered wigs of 18th-century dandies. Additionally, being able to wear short hair diminished
the ever-recurrent problem of lice. For the woman, the wig was a sign of wealth. Perfumed, it could
become an effective means of seduction.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 61-8
Relief from the Tomb of Ny-ankh-nesuwt
Saqqara
Old Kingdom, early 6th Dynasty
ca. 2345–2320 b.c.e.
Limestone with paint
This relief and several others once lined the walls of a funerary chapel that stood over Ny-ankhnesuwt’s burial chamber. On the relief’s top register, servants gather papyrus plants from which they
fashion rope and a boat. In the middle tier, they fight on similar papyrus boats, and below they bring
cattle and fish to Ny-ankh-nesuwt. The boats of the middle register carry fowl, containers of food
and even a heifer. Probably the servants on these boats fight each other to be the first to bring Nyankh-nesuwt this grand meal. In fact, it was hoped that these servants would magically come to life
and feed him in the hereafter. The artist skillfully arranged the images so that the figures and boat on
the top register were harmoniously aligned with the boats and servants below.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 30-14
Relief of Ka-aper and Tjenetet
Saqqara
Old Kingdom, early 5th Dynasty
ca. 2494–2487 b.c.e.
Painted limestone
This fragmentary relief originally portrayed the complete figures of Ka-aper, his wife, Tjenetet, and
their small child. The relief and many others lined the walls of their expensive funeral chapel. As a
military commander and high-ranking official in the royal court, Ka-aper could well afford such a
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tomb complex. The couple’s skin colors reflect culturally approved gender roles. While she is fairskinned—wealthy women should stay indoors and not have to work—his tan reflects outdoor
masculine pursuits. Damage to the eyes reveals that ancient tomb-robbers gouged them out to avoid
the evil-eye. Tjenetet’s delicately rendered ear, however, remains intact.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 46-33
Ra-wer
Giza
Old Kingdom, late 5th to early 4th Dynasty
2503–2455 b.c.e.
Limestone
This statue of the nobleman Ra-wer stood inside his tomb complex and once belonged
to a group of figures; his daughter’s hand is still on his right leg, and his mother’s hand
is on his torso’s right side. Energetic and powerful, Ra-wer strides forward bolt-upright,
chest out, shoulders back. His appearance reflects the sculpture’s essentially religious function.
Priests and relatives would leave food directly before it—thus its extreme frontal position. The ka—
his vital life force—would temporarily enter the statue and absorb the essence of the nourishment:
now his spirit could exist in the afterlife. The statue’s vigorous appearance matches the nature of his
ka. This sculpture and others nearby are among the earliest in the Museum. They stand near the
beginning of a long tradition of the human figure—especially the young and vigorous one—as the
primary subject of Western art. A look down this gallery reveals the evolution of this tradition.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 38-11
Egyptian: Middle Kingdom
Sen-useret III
Egypt
Middle Kingdom, 12th Dynasty
ca. 1874–1855 b.c.e.
Yellow quartzite
I have made my frontier by going further south than my fathers; I have increased what has been
bequeathed to me…. To be aggressive is to be valiant; to retreat is to be wretched. —King Sen-useret III’s
account of securing his domain in the south.
Sen-useret III is shown wearing the royal nemes, a striped headcloth. The uraeus, the rearing cobra
over his forehead, protected him against evil forces. This exceptional sculpture is in many respects—
but not all—realistic. It is not completely how a mortal looks. The face is too smooth, lacking all the
wrinkles of age; the head is over life-size. The sculpture is thus monumental, suggesting the
pharaoh’s omnipotence. The weariness apparent in his face might reflect the strain derived from
ruling all Egypt, from being the sole shepherd of so large a flock.
The sculpture is among the first in a long line of great ruler portraits in Western art—Caesar, Louis
XIV, Abraham Lincoln.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 62-11
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Egyptian: New Kingdom
Banquet Scene
Thebes
New Kingdom, 18th Dynasty
ca. 1400 b.c.e.
Paint on straw and mud
This fragment comes from a far larger composition of a grand banquet painted in the interior of the
tomb of two prominent sculptors, Neb-Amun and Ipu-ky. Such banquets frequently appear in
tombs since they helped ensure that the deceased would eat well in the hereafter. The cat under the
chair still seems ready for a snack.
The women wear large cones of scented fat on their heads. As the evening progressed, the cones
melted, giving the ladies a perfumed allure.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 64-3
Relief of Ramses II
Egypt
New Kingdom, 19th Dynasty
1279–1213 b.c.e.
Red quartzite
One of the mightiest and most long-lived pharaohs, Ramses II is shown here early in his reign. He is
about to perform a religious ritual with his raised, water-filled jar. His name appears in hieroglyphs
on the left; they were deeply carved so subsequent rulers could not erase and replace them with their
own names.
Although the artist portrays Ramses II with a long aquiline nose, the image remains highly idealized,
as suited a ruler born of divine parents. The portrait’s delicate features stand in contrast to the
powerful, emotion-filled image of Sen-useret III behind you to the right.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 32-195
Egyptian: Late Period
Horus of Buto
Probably Sais, northern Egypt
Late Period, 26th Dynasty
664–525 b.c.e.
Bronze
Hoping to secure a favor or give thanks for one, a wealthy Egyptian commissioned
this sculpture of Horus and dedicated it in his temple. Horus originally held in his
right hand a sign of life, the ankh (å), and in his left, a scepter. He also wore a crown. The round
mane with delicately radiating hairs frames and draws attention to his face. It also covers a
potentially awkward transition from a human neck to a lion’s head. The upright posture suggests
power and authority. This lion-headed Horus, son of Wadjet, had his cult center in Buto, northern
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Egypt; his half-brother, Horus the Sky God, son of Isis, was more widely worshiped. He is
portrayed as a hawk, to your right.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 44-64
Relief of Mentu-em-hat and Anubis
Thebes
Late Period, late 25th to early 26th Dynasty
665–650 b.c.e.
Limestone with paint
Probably one of the most able statesmen of his time, Mentu-em-hat maintained political power in
southern Egypt though the reign of four different pharaohs and three invasions by Assyrian armies.
Here, he is portrayed as a priest before the jackal-headed god of cemeteries, Anubis. The heavy bags
under his eyes and strong jowl are features of man in late middle age; his look, that of man
accustomed to wielding great power.
For a large relief from the Assyrian Empire, see the opposite side of the gallery.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 48-28/1, 2
Horus as a Hawk
Egypt
Late Period to Ptolemaic Period, 26th Dynasty to early Ptolemaic Dynasty
664–200 b.c.e.
Basalt
Portrayed here as a hawk, Horus, lord of the sky, was one of the chief, oldest deities of Egypt.
A mythical king of early Egypt, Horus became the patron of pharaohs and supporter of monarchy.
Some kings were seen as earthly manifestations of Horus. The statue probably stood in a temple as a
pious gift to the god. The artist has chosen not to render the fine details of the hawk’s plumage, thus
leaving broad sweeping planes, the very image of power.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 34–140
Egyptian: Roman Period
Portrait of a Woman
Antinoopolis
Roman Period, 130–161 c.e.
Encaustic on wood panel with gilt stucco
This portrait of an unknown woman is the latest Egyptian work in this room, made
when Egypt was part of the Roman Empire. It was meant to be placed over the face
of a mummy. (An earlier mummy mask, of Meret-it-es, is in the first gallery.) The
portrait is arresting: her wide eyes, framed and emphasized by her heavy brows,
stare out at the viewer as though she is alive today. The artist painted it using the encaustic
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technique. Mixing organic colors in hot beeswax, he applied the hot paint to a specially prepared
wooden board. One Greek writer, the so-called Pseudo-Plutarch, appropriately commented: A
beautiful woman leaves in the heart of an indifferent man an image as fleeting as a painting on water. In the heart of a
lover, this image is fixed with fire like an encaustic painting, which time can never erase.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 37-40
Persian
The Persian Empire and Persepolis
The bull and relief to your left are from Persepolis, the ceremonial center of the Persian Empire.
This empire (dating 549 to 330 b.c.e.) was one of the largest kingdoms of the ancient worlds. It even
ruled—for a brief time—Egypt and threatened the Greek mainland. Located in southern Persia,
Persepolis’ magnificent palaces occupied an enormous platform measuring 1,500 by 900 feet. Each
year envoys from subject nations came to Persepolis and offered glorious gifts to their Persian
master, the King of Kings. The western troops of Alexander the Great burned the site in 330 b.c.e.,
allegedly to avenge the far earlier Persian invasion of Greece.
Palace Servants
Persepolis
5th–4th century b.c.e.
Limestone
A Persian servant bears a covered bowl; the partially preserved figure behind him
grasps a young goat. This fragment belonged to a long relief of servants carrying
food and wine to their king, a scene inspired by actual processions at royal banquets.The broad,
even, sweeping folds of the servant’s garment have an abstract and harmonious character; the richly
patterned—and equally abstract—beard and forelocks draw attention to the face. The relief was
probably brightly painted and contrasted with the dull hues of the nearby landscape.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 33-10
Capital in the Shape of a Bull
Persepolis
ca. 518-460 b.c.e.
Bituminous limestone
This bull was set back to back with a matching partner. The two rested on top of
a column, supporting on their backs a crossbeam of a palace’s giant roof. The bull’s strength makes
it an apt support for a roof; further, the bull itself is a symbol of the power of the Persian Empire.
The back, legs, chest and a few parts of the bull’s face have been restored. The separately made ears
and horns are now missing; the original brilliant paint on the bull has disappeared.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust50-14
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Etruscan
The Etruscans
Long before the conquests of Roman legions, the Etruscans dominated much of Italy; their period
of greatest prosperity was roughly between 700 b.c.e. and 500 b.c.e. Their cities formed a
confederation which extended north to the Po Valley and south to the Bay of Naples. The success
of this remarkable confederation was owed to its rich pastoral and agricultural lands and its
abundant tin, copper and iron deposits. It was, among other things, the allure of these minerals that
led Greeks to establish colonies in southern Italy to trade with the Etruscans. Due in part to the
extensive contact with these colonies, the Etruscans developed an art whose style and subject matter
were in many ways Greek. The Etruscan copper and tin provided the raw material to make bronze,
the metal used to make the statuettes in the case on your right.
Bowl
Possibly from Mazanderan, Iran
2nd century b.c.e.
Gilded silver
The shape and decoration of this bowl are Greek. The probable findspot of the
bowl in Iran helps testify to the spread of Greek culture to the Near East.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 35-37/2
Cycladic Idol
From the Cyclades
Mid-third millennium b.c.e.
Marble
This is the earliest sculpture in our Greek collection, and it is a typical example of a
Cycladic ―idol.‖ The folded arms dramatically frame the breasts, and the pubic
triangle emphasizes the genitals; most other details—mouth, ears and eyes, for instance—have been
eliminated. Fertility seems to be a key idea behind the sculpture. Because of this and because most
sculptures like this come from tombs, the figure may have been meant to help the deceased be
reborn into the afterlife. The identification of its function remains controversial. The figure’s highly
abstract appearance contrasts with that of the nearly contemporaneous Egyptian sculptures such as
Ra-wer in the niche at the end of the gallery and the later Greek and Roman sculptures behind you.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 35-41
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Greek and Roman
Heracles
From Italy
1st-century c.e. copy or version of a 4th-century b.c.e. original
Bronze
Voluntarily choosing a life of hardship and sacrifice, Heracles rid the world of beasts
and monsters, He thereby obtained immortality. In the first of his many labors, he
slew a lion that had been ravaging the area of Nemea, Greece. He now wears the lion skin draped
over his left arm. The Nemean lion skin also appears on the head of Heracles to your right.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 46-37
Kneeling Satyr
Said to be from the vicinity of Pergamon, in modern-day Turkey
2nd or 1st century b.c.e.
Bronze with traces of silver in the eyes
This statuette depicts a follower of the god of wine, Dionysos. A late-night
carouser, he probably served here—most appropriately—as a lamp-stand. The tree probably held oil
lamps in its branches. The twists and turns of the satyr’s torso recall those of the marble statue of
the satyr to your left.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust,53-82
Cases 17&18 - (Greek & Etruscan)
Later Approaches to Art
The sculptures in this case reflect a very different approach to art than what we see in the case to the
right. The artists have become far more interested in realistically portraying the body. However, they
do not offer a precise reproduction of human anatomy: with few exceptions, the Greeks
transformed (i.e., altered), to one degree or another, the appearance of their subjects in art, often
raising them to a higher plateau.
Youth
Said to be from Cumae, Italy
ca. 450 b.c.e.
Bronze
The relaxed pose of our youth was common in contemporaneous Greek sculpture.
The marble torso on your right exemplifies the more dynamic sculptures of a later
period.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust,56-79
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Relief with Helios
From Italy
ca. 400 b.c.e.
Marble
Bringing daylight to the world, the sun god, Helios, rises from the waves of the
ocean in a four-horse chariot. Originally the relief was painted and may have stood in a sanctuary.
This sculpture was probably made in a Greek colony in southern Italy.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust,45-32/7
Hephaestus
Findspot unknown
1st- or 2nd-century c.e. copy or adaptation of a Greek statue
Bronze
Hephaestus was the god of fire and so was associated with those crafts that required
its heat. He was the patron deity of jewelers, armorers and blacksmiths. Ready for
work, Hephaestus held a hammer in his right hand and tongs in his left.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust,82-5
Greek Mirror
Said to be from an Etruscan tomb
465–450 b.c.e.
Bronze
The disk was originally highly polished to provide a clear, reflective surface. The
youthful girl supporting it may be just a maiden. Alternatively, and as would be
particularly appropriate, she may be Aphrodite, the goddess of love. The two
winged creatures fluttering over her head are Erotes (cupids).
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust,60-84
Case 19 – Etruscan
Etruscan Statuette
From Italy
3rd to 1st century b.c.e.
Bronze
This statuette was probably placed in a sanctuary as a gift to the gods. The figure’s
pose is based ultimately on Greek originals from the fifth and fourth centuries b.c.e.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 47-5
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Etruscan Statuette of Heracles
From Italy
4th century b.c.e.
Bronze
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust,49-76
Etruscan Statuette
From Apiro, Italy
460–450 b.c.e.
Bronze
This statuette ranks among the largest and most beautiful Etruscan sculptures in
American collections. A photograph made soon after the statuette was discovered
reveals that the figure held a lance in his raised right arm. Thus the sculpture may portray Maris (the
Etruscan warrior god) or Hercle (the Greek Heracles) or simply a mortal. The pose of the figure is
based on slightly earlier Greek sculptures.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust,30-12
Cases 20&21 (Greek)
Greek Vases
Between 600 and 400 b.c.e. Athens was the center for the creation of vases that were made of baked
clay (terracotta) and painted with beautiful scenes. The potters and painters of Athens produced tens
of thousands of these vases and exported them throughout the Mediterranean Basin. They have
been found everywhere from France to Israel; Italy seems to have been one of their biggest
customers. Who could afford them? How much did they cost? Archaeologists have only a rough
idea. Some vessels have their prices scratched into their bottoms: one sold for 5 obols (perhaps a
little less than two days’ average wages) and another for 17 obols (perhaps almost 6 days’ wages).
Red-figure Lekythos (one-handled jug with narrow neck)
Tradition of the Achilles Painter
Made in Athens, Greece and found perhaps in Sicily
About 450–430 b.c.e.
Terracotta (baked clay)
The winged goddess of dawn, Eos, amorously pursues here a youth named
Tithonus. According to the myth, they became lovers. Eos then asked Zeus, the king of the gods, to
make him immortal, and he granted her wish. Since, however, she failed to request that the youth
remain eternally young, he grew astonishingly old. Eos decided to keep him in a locked room. The
scene is appropriate for this vase which was intended as a funerary offering.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 33-3/2
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Black-figure Olpe (a vessel for pouring)
By the Gorgon Painter
Athens, Greece
Probably 590–580 b.c.e.
Terracotta (baked clay)
The female-headed bird on this vase is called a ―siren.‖ With their lovely songs
these mythological creatures charmed and tempted unwitting sailors who, following them to nearby
shores, died.
Gift of Mrs. Bertha Rockwell Venanzi, 59-22
Red-figure Amphora (two handled-vase)
By the Syleus Painter
Athens, Greece
About 480 b.c.e.
Terracotta (baked clay)
On this vase is one of the earliest known representations of a secret ballot. After the
Greek hero Achilles died at Troy, a dispute arose over who should receive his armour—crafty
Odysseus or mighty Ajax. There were different myths about how the issue was resolved. In this
version the Greek warriors wrote their votes on olive leaves and dropped them into a shallow cup
held by the goddess Athena. Odysseus won; Ajax committed suicide.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 30-13
Black-figure Amphora (two-handled vase)
By the Mastos Painter
Athens, Greece
About 530–520 b.c.e.
Terracotta (baked clay)
The presence of Dionysos, the god of wine, on this vase suggests that the vessel
contained his preferred drink. Dionysos holds branches of ivy and a horn filled, no doubt, with
wine. He appears with satyrs and his lovely consort, Ariadne. This vase was fashioned a generation
before the vessel to your left and reflects a different—but no less beautiful—manner of drawing the
human figure.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 33-3/1
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Red-figure Kylix (drinking cup)
By the Euaion Painter
Athens, Greece
Probably 470–460 b.c.e.
Terracotta (baked clay)
This vase (seen here from underneath) was made for drinking wine at banquets and fine dinners.
The artist (named by modern scholars ―the Euaion Painter‖) has appropriately decorated the cup
with happy drinkers.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 51-58
Greek & Roman
Head of a Goddess
Probably from southern Italy
4th century b.c.e.
Marble
The identity of the goddess is unknown.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 33-3/4
Heracles
Findspot unknown
1st-century b.c.e. or 1st-century c.e. copy of a 4th-century b.c.e. original
Marble
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 34-79
Grave Stele
From a district near Athens, perhaps Halai
Mid-4th century b.c.e.
Marble
Ancient Greek cemeteries were filled with as much art as any modern museum.
Some of the best artists in Greece carved tombstones and grave markers. The
monuments could be large, costly affairs. In fact, legislation was passed from time to time to limit
the size of these monuments. Numerous large grave steles such as the one on your left were made in
fourth-century b.c.e. Athens and its environs to celebrate the deceased. Members of the upper class
and perhaps even those who were slightly less wealthy commissioned them. It is sometimes difficult
to identify who is portrayed on these steles. On this relief the inscriptions along the upper part of
the stele and the age of the figures are helpful. Probably the man and woman in the front were
siblings. The older man between them may be their father. The figure in the upper right hand corner
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in very low relief may be the siblings’ uncle or grandfather. The prominent position and large size of
the seated woman in front may indicate that she is the deceased.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 31-65
Portrait of Antinous (?)
From Italy
140–150 c.e.
Marble
Greek art influenced Roman sculpture. Even the portraits of Romans sometimes
had a Greek flavor. On this sculpture of a Roman youth, the boy’s broad chest,
heavy jaw and generally idealized features were meant to suggest a statue from the Classical Greek
past. This portrait may be of Antinous, the lover of the emperor Hadrian (his portrait appears to
your right beyond the niche). Antinous, a youth from Asia Minor (modern Turkey), met Hadrian on
one of the emperor’s many travels East and became his constant companion. The youth drowned in
the Nile in October 130 c.e. Deeply grieved by Antinous’s death, Hadrian declared that the youth
had become a god, and he had temples with portraits of the boy set up throughout the Roman
Empire.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 59-3
The Emperor Hadrian (ruled 117–138 c.e.)
Probably from Italy
About 130 c.e.
Marble
The Roman emperor Hadrian loved all things Greek. He wrote poetry in Greek,
could discuss Greek philosophy and literature, and occasionally even dressed as a
Greek. Here, in his portrait, one can see certain Greek traits. The wearing of a beard associates him
with the world of Greek culture, and the idealized features of the face suggest the influence of
Classical Greek art.
He is portrayed in a military uniform since his role as general was critical to his rule. He wears a
metal breastplate and under it (visible at the neck) a cloth tunic. A military cloak is draped over his
left shoulder and was held by a now missing brooch. The head of Medusa stands out on his
breastplate. This frightening image was originally meant to scare away potential danger.
A portrait that may be of his lover, Antinous, appears to your left beside the statue in the niche.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 31-96
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Torso of a Satyr
Probably found in Italy
1st- or 2nd-century c.e. Roman copy of a 3rd- or 2nd-century b.c.e. Greek
sculpture
Marble
The tail on the back of the torso reveals that this is a satyr, a carousing follower of
the god of wine, Dionysos. A precise reconstruction of the figure is difficult. The evidence indicates
that he was dancing as he snapped his fingers in the air and kept rhythm with a clapper under his
right foot (see drawing). Apparently, a nymph was seated near him preparing to join him in a dance.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 34-135
Grave Marker
From a district near Athens, Greece
Probably early 4th century b.c.e.
Marble
On this grave marker, a young man and woman—presumably a married couple—
shake hands while two older men—probably their fathers—stand behind them.
The couple has been separated by death. While it is unclear which spouse has died, their handshake
and closely mirroring positions suggest a love transcending death. This grave marker, which is
missing its upper part, was shaped like the clay vessels that were sometimes buried with the deceased
as gifts (see, for example, the tall vase in the case to your left).
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 31-86
Eastern Figure
Probably from Italy
Possibly 2nd century c.e.
Marble
This Roman copy of an earlier Greek sculpture may represent Paris, the
legendary lover of Helen of Troy.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 47-14
Portrait of a Roman Youth
From Italy
Mid-2nd century c.e.
Marble
This second-century c.e. Roman portrait of a youth has many characteristics of fifth- and
fourth-century b.c.e. Greek sculpture such as the shift of the boy’s weight and the
idealized character of his entire body. The relatively realistic style of the head is,
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however, Roman. Thus the sculpture combines Greek and Roman styles. A quiver to the boy’s right
suggests that he is being identified with the god Apollo, who was often shown carrying a bow and
arrows. Because in Roman Imperial times the deceased were sometimes sculpted as deities to
indicate that they had become immortal, this boy’s sculpture was probably carved after his death.
The ancient marble base upon which the statue stands is from Italy but was meant for another
sculpture.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 34-91/1-2
Gallery P4: Rome
Jewelry Cases
Necklace with Gold Coins
Said to be from a tomb at Aboukir near Alexandria, Egypt
From the reign of Gordian III (238–243 c.e.) or slightly later
Gold
The coins have portraits of the following emperors and empresses:
1. Alexander Severus
(222–225 c.e.)
2. Hadrian (117–138 c.e.)
3. Faustina the Younger
(161–180 c.e.)
4. Caracalla (197–211 c.e.)5. Faustina the Elder (138–161 c.e.)6. Pertinax (193 c.e.)
5. Faustina the Elder (138–161 c.e.)
6. Pertinax (193 c.e.)
7. Gordian III (238–244 c.e.)
8. Elagabulus (218–222 c.e.)
9. Antoninus Pius (138–161 c.e.)
10. Caracalla (197–211 c.e.)11. Macrinus (217–218 c.e.)12. Antoninus Pius (138–161 c.e.)
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 56-77
Earrings
Probably from Taranto, Italy
3rd century b.c.e.
Gold
These two earrings come from Taranto, a Greek colony in southern Italy. They were
made perhaps a few decades before Roman legions sieged and stormed this wealthy city, making it
part of the Roman Empire.
Gift of Veronica Björling and Diana Tolstoy F93-19/1,2
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
Ancient Galleries Label Copy
May, 2010
Signet Ring with Apollo and Cassandra
Said to have been found in Trapezus, Turkey
40–20 c.e.
Gold and carnelian; by Aulos, son of Alexas
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Robert S. Everitt, F93-22
Necklace with a Portrait Medallion
Said to be from a tomb at Aboukir near Alexandria, Egypt
Probably from the reign of Gordian III
238–243 b.c.e. (or slightly later)
Gold
According to the Greek myth, Cassandra, the daughter of the king of Troy, fell asleep in a
sanctuary dedicated to the god Apollo. The youthful Apollo saw the girl and immediately
fell in love with her. He offered her the gift of prophecy as a bribe to consummate the relation. She
accepted the gift but then denied Apollo her favors. The god punished Cassandra with the curse that
no one would believe her truthful prophecies—a suitable punishment for a liar. The ring shows the
moment when Apollo first sees Cassandra asleep. The artist, Aulos, was one of the foremost gemcarvers of the early Roman Empire.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 56-78
The Wealth of the Roman Empire
The ring and necklaces in this case testify to the great wealth of the elite of the Roman Empire.
Interestingly enough, the jewelry comes not from Rome but two of its most wealthy lands: the ring
is from Turkey and the necklaces from Egypt. The Romans drew much of their wealth from these
very lands by taxation. Also Egypt was the leading exporter of grain to Rome.
Herm of a Satyr
Said to be from Grottaferrata (near Rome), Italy
Possibly 50–100 c.e.
Marble
Originally, a herm was a smooth, rectangular shaft with an erect phallus and portrait of
the god Hermes. Possibly herms originated in early sixth-century b.c.e. Greece, where
they first served as tombstones, road markers and cult statues. Over hundreds of years,
their form and function changed. This Roman herm is of a satyr, a creature of pleasure
and follower of the god of wine, Dionysos. He is aptly portrayed as a randy goat with long pointed
ears and small horns on his forehead. The skin of a panther, an animal associated with Dionysos,
hangs from his shoulders. If the herm is from Grottaferrata, it may have decorated one of the many
private or Imperial villas in the area.
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Herman R. Sutherland, F70-41
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
Ancient Galleries Label Copy
May, 2010
Middle-aged Man
From the vicinity of Alexandria, Egypt
Probably about 220–230 c.e.
Marble
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 47-14
Eastern Figure with a Phrygian Cap
Probably from Italy
Possibly 2nd century c.e.
Marble
This Roman copy of an earlier Greek sculpture may represent Paris, the legendary
lover of Helen of Troy.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 32-146
Emperor Severus Alexander
Probably from Italy
About 225 c.e.
Marble
A close look at this portrait reveals several peculiarities. The long hair on the crown
of the head contrasts with the otherwise short-cropped hair. The neck is
disproportionately wide, and deep channels in the sideburns seem out of place. The head was carved
from an earlier portrait. This explains the discrepancies. The large neck and the hair of the crown
belonged to the original sculpture. The peculiar channels in the sideburns were the canals of the
original ears. The size of the neck shows that the original was over life-size and suitable for recarving
a life-size portrait. The nose was made separately and attached. This may be a portrait of the Roman
emperor Severus Alexander (222–235 c.e.), and it was recarved from a portrait of Elegabulus, the
emperor who ruled directly before him. Elegabulus ruled so incompetently that after his
assassination portraits of him were banned. Here, rather than destroying a perfectly good piece of
marble, the Roman artist carved away Elegabulus’s features to make those of the new emperor.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 45-66A
Castor or Pollux
2nd century c.e.
Probably from Italy
Marble
This youth is either Castor or Pollux. These two brothers were the offspring of
a mortal woman. They had different fathers: Castor was the son of a mortal
prince while Pollux was the son of the king of the gods, Jupiter. Thus Castor was mortal and
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
Ancient Galleries Label Copy
May, 2010
Pollux, immortal. At the death of Castor, Jupiter offered the immortal Pollux a choice. He could
remain immortal or he could divide immortality with his slain brother. They could live on
alternate days in heaven and the Underworld. Out of love for his brother, Pollux chose to
divide his immortality. The youths were associated with the constellation Gemini and thus they
are portrayed with a star on their caps. Our figure cradles in his left arm a sword in a sheath.
The statue may be an approximate copy of a famous fifth-century b.c.e. sculpture that stood at
the entrance of the Acropolis in Athens.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 33-1533
Roman Sarcophagus
Found in Rome
240–260 c.e.
Marble
In going through almost any modern cemetery one is struck by the anonymity of the dead: fields,
crosses, a few inscriptions. Not so in the ancient Roman world. Aristocratic Roman families had
large mausoleums within which were huge marble sarcophagi (coffins) carved with scenes of myths
and even battles. Family members would visit the inside of these mausoleums and see these
sarcophagi on special memorial days. This sarcophagus was carved for a wealthy woman who
wished to be shown among the Muses, the spirits who governed cultural endeavors. Holding a
scroll, the deceased stands in the middle of the Muses. All the figures can be identified by their
clothes or by the musical instruments or other attributes they hold. The figure to the right of the
deceased is Minerva, the leader of the Muses. She wears a helmet and carries a spear. On the other
side of the deceased, the Muse Terpsichore, who governed lyrical poetry, carries a large lyre.
Griffins, winged lions who protect the deceased, appear on the narrow sides. The deceased probably
chose to portray herself among the Muses to show future generations she was a cultured lady. The
imagery also suggests that she has passed from this world and found a place among the immortal
Muses. She enjoys eternity because of her cultural achievements.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 87-21
Roman Sarcophagus
From Italy
Mid-2nd century c.e.
Marble
This sarcophagus, or coffin, depicts the Nine Muses, who governed cultural endeavors, and Apollo,
their leader, in a sacred grove. The figures are identified by the objects they carry. For instance,
Melpomene, the third from the left, carries a tragic mask since she governs tragic theatre, and
Urania, the third from the right, points down at a globe since she governs astronomy and astrology.
Apollo stands second to the left with his large cithara. On the narrow sides are mythical sea
creatures, tritons and sea nymphs. The reliefs on Roman sarcophagi were among the most important
sculptures of the ancient world. Many were carved by some of the finest artists of the time. The best
were made for aristocratic families from about 125 c.e. until the collapse of the Roman Empire. The
style and nature of the reliefs changed extensively during this long period. The Muse sarcophagus
opposite this one on the other narrow wall of this gallery was sculpted about one hundred years
later. The differences are striking. The figures have become grander. The contrasts of darks and
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
Ancient Galleries Label Copy
May, 2010
lights have become greater, and the proportions of the figures have changed dramatically. More
significantly, the deceased stands prominently among the Muses in the later relief as though she has
joined them in the hereafter.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 33-38
Caracalla (ruled 198–217 c.e.)
Probably from Italy 215–217 c.e.
Marble
One of Rome’s more emotionally disturbed emperors, Caracalla was
responsible for the murder of his brother, wife, and father-in-law. With little
economic savvy, he developed financial policies that led to a disastrous inflation. A military
man, he commanded armies in England, northern Europe, and the Middle East. He was
murdered in a palace coup. He is portrayed here as a leader of armies with a short military
haircut, metal breastplate and mantle. A man of action, he turns his head, ready to give his next
order.
Purchase: Nelson Trust, 47-66
Arch (above)
From Egypt
Late 5th or early 6th century c.e.
Limestone
The crosses and the great cost of such a large, stone relief suggest that this arch came from a
monastery or church. This relief is a fine example of Coptic art. Coptic art is generally defined as art
created by the Coptic Christian sect in Egypt. The Coptic Church was founded in the mid-fifth
century and continues to this day. The art of the Copts flourished from its birth to the Arab invasion
in the seventh century c.e.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 48-11
Architectural Relief (above)
From Egypt
Possibly from the 6th century c.e.
Limestone
This relief, which probably lined the top of a wall, depicts the bounty of the earth—the abundance
of plant life and the richness of the animal world. It was made almost two hundred years after the
legalization of Christianity in the Mediterranean Basin. Much of the imagery though is copied from
earlier pagan art.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 49-16
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
Ancient Galleries Label Copy
May, 2010
Roman Gentleman
Probably found in or near Rome
About 120 c.e.
Marble
This portrait is brutally realistic. According to some doctors, the slightly drooping
flesh of the man’s right cheek and jaw may indicate that at one time he had suffered
a stroke.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 47-30
Funerary Portrait of a Woman
Said to be from Alexandria, Egypt
120–130 c.e.
Marble
Hairstyles today reveal everything from one’s cultural preferences to one’s
social class and age-group. Just so in antiquity. In this particular instance, the
woman’s hairstyle reveals that she was an aristocrat since several servants were needed to comb
and arrange her elaborate coiffure. The small acanthus leaves at the base of this portrait are
equally revealing. They were used in antiquity to indicate that the sitter had died. They seem to
suggest that the deceased will be reborn just as acanthus leaves are regenerated every spring.
Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 48-9
Wall Text Panels
Art for Eternity
The ancient Egyptian art in this gallery was never meant for a museum—most of it was never even
meant to be seen by the living, but was intended for the tomb, where it helped the spirits of the
deceased magically come alive and live on for eternity in the hereafter.Almost all of this art was
commissioned by the very wealthy, a small elite in ancient Egypt. Much of it comes from a single
tomb, that of Meret-it-es, a noblewoman from the 4th or 3rd century b.c.e. Found in tombs in the
dry desert, the art in this gallery is astonishingly well preserved.
Art in the Age of the Pyramids
The sculptures in this room are among the earliest in the Egyptian collection. They date from the
age of the great pyramids, the mid-3rd millennium b.c.e.; most were discovered in the tombs of the
major cemeteries of northern Egypt, Giza and Saqqara. This was a period of great creativity, and the
interest here in portraying the human f igure had a profound impact on much of Western art history.
In a sense, these sculptures are the ancestors of Michelangelo’s David and Rodin’s The Thinker.
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
Ancient Galleries Label Copy
May, 2010
Black Land, Red Land
The Egyptians named their land Kemet, the Black Land, referring to the rich dark soil directly to
either side of the great Nile River. Each year the Nile f looded its valley, leaving behind fertile dark
deposits of sediments perfect for growing crops. Beyond the rich valley lay the desert, what the
Egyptians called Deshret, the Red Land. This inhospitable region helped buffer Egypt against invaders. Blessed
with such boundaries and rich soil, Egypt thrived for thousands of years. The wealth and continuity of
Egyptian civilization helped support the development of great art. Since much of the art was
intended for the eternal use of the deceased and was buried with them in the nearby desert, it has
often remained well preserved and much as it first looked.
Large and Dynamic, the Ancient Near East
The ancient Near East encompassed an enormous area several times the size of ancient Egypt. And
just as the Nile River nourished Egypt, two large rivers fed the geographical center of the Near East,
Mesopotamia. Powerful city-states, such as Ur, developed in Mesopotamia during the 3rd
millennium b.c.e. Much later, enormous empires—the Assyrian and then the Persian—extended
over Mesopotamia to the distant corners of the Near East and even conquered Egypt. Excavated in
the 19th and 20th centuries, the large works in this collection come from the great palaces of
Assyrian and Persian kings. Unlike the pharaohs of Egypt, their kings did not claim divine kinship—
just divine approval and backing.
Most of the other works, as for example the vases, were found in tombs. These vases are especially
well preserved. Made of humble baked clay (terracotta), they can last as long as costly stone or
expensive bronze; their forms are as elegant as their metal counterparts.
Rome and Its Empire
Founded in 753 b.c.e. as a small village in Italy, by the birth of Christ Rome had become the center
of an empire of 50 to 60 million people—about one-fifth to one-sixth of the entire population of
the world at that time. The Roman Empire stretched from present-day Spain to Syria, from the
Rhine to the Nile; it measured more than half the size of the United States. The city of Rome had
approximately one million inhabitants. Western Europe would not know so large a city—it was
London—until 1800. The Roman Empire survived until 476 c.e. when a weak economy,
incompetent rulers, renegade armies and barbarian droves caused it to collapse in exhaustion. The
art in this gallery comes mostly from Italy, and some from Rome’s provinces, especially Egypt.
The Greek Orbit
The collection of Greek art in this gallery dates almost exclusively to the second half of the first
millennium b.c.e. Many of the vase-paintings and sculptures were found not only on the Greek
mainland but also in Sicily and southern Italy where the Greeks had major colonies. Because of the
rarity of Greek sculpture, the gallery includes a few copies and adaptations of Greek art carved or
cast by Romans in the first and second centuries c.e
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
Ancient Galleries Label Copy
May, 2010