Many of the objects in this room came from the pyramid complex of the Middle Kingdom pharaoh, Senwosret the First. This label outlines the entire complex – but we’re going to be taking a closer look at some of its painted relief carvings. They’re in front of you and in the long wall case, to your left. Most of them come from the king’s pyramid temple, which illustrated ideas related to Egyptian kingship. It was in the temple that the cult of the king was celebrated.

Near the center of the case, look for a square piece. The fragment on it shows a figure with a rounded belly, and a sagging breast. This is an interesting example of how the Egyptians combined side views with frontal views of the body. The hieroglyphs above the figure identify him as Nepri, the personification of grain. In the fragment just below him, we see a man kneeling in front of a low offering table. Above the table is an inscription listing food offerings intended to provide the king with sustenance in the afterlife. In the fragment immediately to the left are two offering bearers carrying figs, lotus flowers, ducks, and other offerings.

[FESTIVE-SOUNDING EGYPTIAN MUSIC]

Farther to the left are a number of pieces depicting male and female deities. They were originally arranged to reflect festival processions in which statues or other objects representing the deities were gathered together. At the far left end of the wall we see an image of Senwosret I himself, shown facing left, and wearing the distinctive folded royal headcloth called a nemes. The vertical notched palm frond behind him symbolizes the wish for his reign to last for millions of years.