Cup of Nesikhonsu
This cup made of blue faience belonged to Nesikhonsu, the wife of the High Priest of Amun Pinedjem II. A hieroglyphic inscription names Nesikhonsu and gives her the title "Osiris, Great Leader of the First Music Troupe of Amun" – a group of female musicians serving Amun-Re in his Karnak temple. It was one of 70 ritual cups that were used for libation rituals during Nesikhonsu’s funeral and buried within her tomb afterwards.
Nesikhonsu was buried in Theban Tomb no. 320 (TT 320) in Deir el-Bahari, otherwise known as the "Royal Cache." This mass burial also contained the bodies and funerary equipment of several family members, as well as more than fifty royal mummies from the New Kingdom, who had been re-buried following several tomb robberies in the Valley of Kings during the 21st Dynasty.
Nesikhonsu was buried in Theban Tomb no. 320 (TT 320) in Deir el-Bahari, otherwise known as the "Royal Cache." This mass burial also contained the bodies and funerary equipment of several family members, as well as more than fifty royal mummies from the New Kingdom, who had been re-buried following several tomb robberies in the Valley of Kings during the 21st Dynasty.
Artwork Details
- Title: Cup of Nesikhonsu
- Period: Third Intermediate Period
- Dynasty: Dynasty 21
- Reign: pontificate of Pinedjem II
- Date: ca. 990–969 B.C.
- Geography: From Egypt; Probably from Upper Egypt, Thebes, Valleys south of Deir el-Bahri, Valley of the Cachette, First Royal Cache (TT 320), Burial of Nesikhonsu, Egyptian Antiquities Service/Maspero excavations, 1881
- Medium: Faience
- Dimensions: H. 6.4 × Diam. of rim 7 cm (2 1/2 × 2 3/4 in.); Diam. of base: 5 cm (1 15/16 in.)
- Credit Line: Bequest of Nanette B. Kelekian, 2020
- Object Number: 2021.41.118
- Curatorial Department: Egyptian Art
More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
4th century B.C.
360–343 BCE
ca. 872–664 BCE
664–525 BCE
332–30 BCE
Research Resources
The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.