Foundation plaque inscribed with the cartouche of Psusennes I
On the face of this plaque is one of the names of Psusennes I, third king of Dynasty 21. The plaque takes the form of a shen ring, a rope tied in the shape of an oval, representing eternity. By placing his name within this ring, the king proclaimed his eternal dominion over the world. This plaque is inscribed with his throne name, Aakkheperre, given to him at his coronation, along with the epithet "chosen of Amun" (in this case spelled with the image of the seated god).
This plaque, along with a second that bears the king's birth name, most likey comes from a group of objects that would have been buried at one of the corners of a planned temple site during the ceremony of "stretching the cord," the ancient Egyptian version of laying a modern foundation stone. Such foundation deposits often also included samples of all the materials to be used during the building of the temple.
This plaque, along with a second that bears the king's birth name, most likey comes from a group of objects that would have been buried at one of the corners of a planned temple site during the ceremony of "stretching the cord," the ancient Egyptian version of laying a modern foundation stone. Such foundation deposits often also included samples of all the materials to be used during the building of the temple.
Artwork Details
- Title: Foundation plaque inscribed with the cartouche of Psusennes I
- Period: Third Intermediate Period
- Dynasty: Dynasty 21
- Reign: reign of Psusennes I
- Date: ca. 1040–992 B.C.
- Geography: From Egypt; Probably from Eastern Delta, Tanis (San el-Hagar)
- Medium: Faience
- Dimensions: H. 13.8 × W. 7.4 × D. 2.5 cm (5 7/16 × 2 15/16 × 1 in.)
- Credit Line: Rogers Fund, 1955
- Object Number: 55.144.3
- 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.
ca. 1961–1878 B.C.
ca. 1981–1802 B.C.
ca. 1390–1352 B.C.
ca. 1981–1802 B.C.
ca. 1550–1458 B.C.
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.