Ibis

Late Period–Ptolemaic Period

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 134

The ibis was sacred to the god Thoth; this lifesize statue was probably made as a donation for an ibis cemetery at one of his temples; it is particularly close to examples known to be from the site of Hermopolis. The head of the bird is of bronze, and the eyes of crystal or glass. The wooden body was covered with linen, gessoed and painted white, with detailing of darker almost hairlike feathers throughout and massing at the tail.

Ibis, Wood, gesso, linen, paint, bronze, glass (eyes)

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Ibis, Wood, gesso, linen, paint, bronze, glass (eyes)
Ibis, Wood, gesso, linen, paint, bronze, glass (eyes)

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