Metropolitan Museum of ArtEssay Preview: Metropolitan Museum of ArtReport this essayDan BussiculoNovember 19, 2005Ancient CivilizationsMuseum ProjectFor this project I visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art, on at least four different occasions, September 20th being the first visit, the subsequent three I didnt write down. I chose to examine the Ancient Egypt civilization, which is extremely rich in everything from hieroglyphics and statues to jewelry and tombs.
The first item I examined was the royal acquaintance Memi and Sabu, from Dynasty 4 2575-2464 BCE. It is painted limestone out of Giza donated by the Rogers Fund in 1948. This statue evokes the intimacy of Memi and his companion, Sabu, although she is set somewhat apart by her oblique gaze. Until recently, the flowering of non royal statuary was believed to have occurred only in the 5th and 6th dynasties. Recent studies indicate however many of these non royal statues, including Memi and Sabu are better dated to the 4th dynasty, contemporary with great royal statuary programs. The early date for Memi and Sabu is based both on her coiffure and on the reciprocated embrace.
The next item was the head of a female personification of an estate. It is from the 4th dynasty, the reign of Khufu ca, 2551-2528 BCE. It is made of limestone probably from Giza out of the pyramid complex of Amenemhat. It was donated by the Rogers Fund and Edward Harkness in 1922. The upper part of a female figure is the personification of Khufus agricultural estates. The placement of the pharaohs name on a crossbar with feathery decorations and streamers at the back indicates that the figure has been assimilated to a standard. Estates were not new establishment settlements dedicated to providing for the funerary out of the founder of the temple. Rows of estate personification lining the walks of old kingdom pyramid temples represented the kings eternity.
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The next item was the head of a female personification of an estate. It is from the 4th dynasty, the reign of Khufu ca, 2552-2532 BCE. It is made of limestone probably from Giza out of the pyramid complex of Amenemhat. It was donated by the Rogers Fund and Edward Harkness in 1922. The upper part of a female figure is the personification of Khufus agricultural estates. The placement of the pharaohs name on a crossbar with feathery decorations and streamers at the back indicates that the figure has been assimilated to a standard. Estates were not new establishment settlements dedicated to providing for the funerary out of the founder of the temple. Rows of estate personification lining the walks of old kingdom pyramid temples represented the kings eternity.
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The next item was the necklay of a woman wearing a necklace, which was worn in the Egyptian underworld. It means “the neckline” but is also worn in the Underworld. Its style has been adopted by many cultures during their centuries leading up to the Horus Heresy, to describe the headdress worn by the Khmer people. It is said to be an elaborate mask worn by the Khmer and may be associated with the death of the Pharaoh. The Khmer symbol for the headdress was a cross drawn on the back of a cross necklace. This is also the way the headdress was taken from Khorva in the Khmer Empire during the First Dynasty. After the Horus Heresy, it was assumed that the necklay was given to the Khmer to honour the Emperor, and this idea of the necklay had an impact on the way that Egyptians received the headdress.
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The next item
I then observed a jar and bowl from the mid 4th to the 5th dynasty, during the reign of Khufu 2551-2528 BCE. They were both made from limestone and donated by the Rogers Fund in 1910 and 1921. Both items were created by some with incredible talent as the shape and symmetry of each looked nearly perfect, especially since they are nearly 5,000 years old. The tall jar in particular showcased the sculptors skills in the unique way in which he/she used the natural colors and translucency inherent in the stone.
Finally a vase caught my eye which was in the shape of a female monkey and her young. It is from the 6th dynasty, the reign of Merenre I, 2255-2246 BCE, and was bequest of Theodore M. Davis in 1915. The piece alludes to motherhood and fertility and also to the exotic lands that provided rare ingredients for the oils and unguents used in the vase. They were believed to have rejuvenating effects and it is believed that they were made for the pharaoh who then gave them to favored women.
The collection