Menat Counterpoise with an Image of Bastet?
Skilled faience artists of the Third Intermediate Period produced elaborate openwork spacers, beads, and even large menats. This fragment is the upper part of a faience menat, the menat roundel at the bottom being broken away. A lioness goddess is depicted beneath a shrine whose roof comprises a a uraeus frieze and winged sundisk mounted on by pillars formed by the wadj sign. The goddess wears a sun disk, holds an ankh, and, in her other hand, holds another wadj-scepter topped by an inscription while a similar wadj with inscription may be seen behind her. A third inscription may be seen at her feet. The inscriptions are barely readable, as often on these small objects, but appear to say "words spoken by Bastet", although Wadjet is another possibility.
Artwork Details
- Title: Menat Counterpoise with an Image of Bastet?
- Period: Third Intermediate Period or later
- Dynasty: Dynasty 21–25
- Date: ca. 1070–664 B.C.
- Geography: From Egypt
- Medium: Faience
- Dimensions: H. 6.6 × W. 3.8 × D. 0.7 cm (2 5/8 × 1 1/2 × 1/4 in.)
- Credit Line: Purchase, Edward S. Harkness Gift, 1926
- Object Number: 26.7.1035
- Curatorial Department: Egyptian Art
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