Fragment from the sarcophagus of Usermaatre, son of Djedkhonsuefankh
This fragment comes from a large, prism-shaped sarcophagus (see for example 11.154.1a, b) belonging to a high official named Usermaatre, whose titles included sealer of the king of Lower Egypt, herald of the king of Upper Egypt, and stolist. Only the head and part of one side are preserved, and these are in three different musuem collections. The decoration preserved on these fragments follows the decorative scheme of the sarcophagus of King Nectanebo II ( BM EA10), including the first, second, and third hours of the Book of the Amduat, depicting the journey of the sun god through the underworld. It also bears speeches from the Great Litany of Re, which names the 74 different forms of the sun god. In addition, Usermaatre has chosen to include a scene from the Creation of the Solar Disk on the head end of his sarcophagus; this scene is not found on the sarcophagus of Nectanebo II.
Usermaatre's sarcophagus would originally have been buried at Saqqara, but was broken up, apparently during the Mamluk era, and used in the Mosque of Sayed el-Hussein in Cairo. The largest remaining portion, which comprise the lid and two parts of the head end of the base, are in Cairo, where they are registered as CG 29309. For an additional image of the MMA fragment with the two fragments in the collection of the Musées d’art et d'histoire, see MAH 018050.
Usermaatre's sarcophagus would originally have been buried at Saqqara, but was broken up, apparently during the Mamluk era, and used in the Mosque of Sayed el-Hussein in Cairo. The largest remaining portion, which comprise the lid and two parts of the head end of the base, are in Cairo, where they are registered as CG 29309. For an additional image of the MMA fragment with the two fragments in the collection of the Musées d’art et d'histoire, see MAH 018050.
Artwork Details
- Title: Fragment from the sarcophagus of Usermaatre, son of Djedkhonsuefankh
- Period: Late Period–early Ptolemaic
- Dynasty: Dynasty 30 or later
- Reign: reign of Nectanebo II or later
- Date: ca. 360–300 B.C
- Geography: From Egypt, Originally from Memphite Region, Saqqara
- Medium: Granodiorite
- Dimensions: H. 26.5 cm (10 7/16 in.); W. 63.5 cm (25 in.)
- Credit Line: Gift of Darius Ogden Mills, 1904
- Object Number: 04.2.539
- Curatorial Department: Egyptian Art
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380–332 B.C.
332–250 B.C.
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