Oarsmen and an Official
In the upper register, rowers wield their oars, each man with one foot braced on a rail to increase leverage. Lashed to the deck behind them is the ship's cargo, perhaps a large block of stone or an architectural element for a royal construction. The faint shapes of the oar blades beneath the zigzag lines of the water indicate the water's partial transparency.
In the lower register, an official wearing a cylinder seal on a cord around his neck seems about to put on another such cord, which he holds in his hands-perhaps an award bestowed by the pharaoh.
The small bow in the official's hair and the complex overlay of carved levels in the rowing scene point to a date in the reign of Userkaf.
In the lower register, an official wearing a cylinder seal on a cord around his neck seems about to put on another such cord, which he holds in his hands-perhaps an award bestowed by the pharaoh.
The small bow in the official's hair and the complex overlay of carved levels in the rowing scene point to a date in the reign of Userkaf.
Artwork Details
- Title: Oarsmen and an Official
- Period: Old Kingdom
- Dynasty: Dynasty 4–5
- Reign: reign of Userkaf ?
- Date: ca. 2465–2458 B.C.
- Geography: From Egypt, Memphite Region, Lisht North, Pyramid of Amenemhat I, pyramid core, west side, MMA excavations, 1920–22
- Medium: Limestone, paint traces
- Dimensions: H. 60 cm (23 5/8 in.); W. 30 cm (11 13/16 in.)
- Credit Line: Rogers Fund and Edward S. Harkness Gift, 1922
- Object Number: 22.1.16
- Curatorial Department: Egyptian Art
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ca. 2465–2458 B.C.
ca. 2446–2389 B.C.
ca. 2446–2389 B.C.
ca. 2446–2389 B.C.
ca. 2446–2389 B.C.
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