Category:
Sculpture in the round, statues, human / gods and goddesses statues, fragments of statues, head
Date:
Ancient Egyptian period, Late Period, 30th Dynasty (380-362 BCE)
Provenance:
Lower Egypt, Alexandria, Abukir, Canopus (excavations of 1999)
Material(s):
Rock, granite, black granite
Height:
37 cm;
Width:
17 cm;
Depth:
14 cm
Hall:
Submerged Antiquities
Description
The head of a king from the 30th dynasty, made of black granite, wearing the Khepresh (blue crown) with the Uraeus-snake. It dates back to the fourth century BCE. The clearly defined eyebrows which were narrow and straight, the half opened eyes, and the closed thin lips give the face a stern independent expression.
Late Period Sculpture
During the late Pharaonic period, Egypt was controlled by foreign powers; the Assyrians, Kushites, Persians, Macedonians, and Romans. Despite the presence of these foreigners, Egyptian sculptors remained true to their ancient traditions and continued to produce works of art unaffected by foreign influence. The Persian rulers who were considered as the 27th dynasty exerted no influence upon the development of Egyptian art. However during the last three native dynasties, important works of art were produced specially during the 30th dynasty, characterized by the perfect smoothness of the polished surface.
The information given here is subject to modification/update as a result of ongoing research.
References
- Ägyptens versunkene Schätze: 5. April 2007-27. Januar 2008, Kunst- und Ausstellungshalle der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Bonn (Heidelberg: Vernissage, 2007): 115-116, 356.
- Franck Goddio and Manfred Clauss, eds., Egypt’s Sunken Treasures, photographs by Christoph Gerigk (London: Prestel, 2006): 132-133, 406.
- Franck Goddio and David Fabre, Trésors engloutis d’Égypte, photographs by Christoph Gerigk (Milan: 5 Continents, 2006): 96-97, 283.
- Franck Goddio and Aurélia Masson-Berghoff, eds., The BP Exhibition: Sunken Cities: Egypt's Lost Worlds (London: Thames and Hudson, 2016): 134-135.
- Zahi Hawass, ed., Bibliotheca Alexandrina: The Archaeology Museum (Cairo: The Supreme Council of Antiquities, 2002): 108-109.
- Zahi A. Hawass and Franck Goddio, Cleopatra: The Search of the Last Queen of Egypt (Washington, DC: National Geographic Society, 2010): 24.
- Mona Serry, ed., Bibliotheca Alexandrina: Antiquities Museum, introduction by Ismail Serageldin (Alexandria: Bibliotheca Alexandrina. Antiquities Museum, 2015): 288, 338.