Relief of Clapping Women
Returned to lender
This work of art was on loan to the museum and has since been returned to its lender.This object is not part of The Met collection. It was in the Museum for a special exhibition and has been returned to the lender.
This relief fragment depicts a row of clapping women with arms and hands upraised. It probably belonged to a larger scene of a ritual featuring singing or dancing in honor of the goddess Hathor, who was closely connected to these performances. Unusual are the strands of round beads in the women’s hair, which have no exact parallels. Perhaps they were connected with Hathoric rites of the time.
This relief fragment depicts a row of clapping women with arms and hands upraised. It probably belonged to a larger scene of a ritual featuring singing or dancing in honor of the goddess Hathor, who was closely connected to these performances. Unusual are the strands of round beads in the women’s hair, which have no exact parallels. Perhaps they were connected with Hathoric rites of the time.
Artwork Details
- Title: Relief of Clapping Women
- Period: Middle Kingdom
- Dynasty: Dynasty 11
- Reign: Mentuhotep II
- Date: ca. 2051-2000 B.C.
- Geography: From Egypt, Deir el-Bahri, Tomb of Neferu
- Medium: Limestone, paint
- Dimensions: H. 31.7 cm (12 1/2 in.); W. 27.9 cm (11 in.); D. 1.2 (1/2 in.)
- Credit Line: Cincinnati Art Museum, Gift of Joan L. Stark in memory of Louise J. Roth, 1998.54
- Curatorial Department: Egyptian Art