Tickets
English
DonateMembership
Tickets

Foundation plaque inscribed with the cartouche of Psusennes I

Third Intermediate Period
ca. 1051–1002 BCE
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 130
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 personal name (Pasebaenniut), given to him at birth, along with the epithet "beloved of Amun."

This plaque, along with a second that bears the king's throne 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

Object Information
  • Title: Foundation plaque inscribed with the cartouche of Psusennes I
  • Period: Third Intermediate Period
  • Dynasty: Dynasty 21
  • Reign: reign of Psusennes I
  • Date: ca. 1051–1002 BCE
  • Geography: From Egypt; Probably from Eastern Delta, Tanis (San el-Hagar)
  • Medium: Faience
  • Dimensions: H. 13.5 × W. 7.2 × D. 2.5 cm (5 5/16 × 2 13/16 × 1 in.)
  • Credit Line: Rogers Fund, 1955
  • Object Number: 55.144.4
  • Curatorial Department: Egyptian Art

More Artwork

More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Pyramidion of the Chantress of Amun-Re, Tjerat-Mut, Limestone
On loan to The Met
Pyramidion of the Chantress of Amun-Re, Tjerat-Mut
ca. 1080–945 BCE
Faience amulet plaque of Isis nourishing a pharaoh, Faience, Egyptian
Faience amulet plaque of Isis nourishing a pharaoh
Egyptian
1050–900 BCE
Arched Harp (shoulder harp), Wood
Arched Harp (shoulder harp)
ca. 1386–1300 BCE
Colossal Seated Statue of a Pharaoh, Granodiorite
On loan to The Met
Colossal Seated Statue of a Pharaoh
ca. 1919–1878 B.C.
Faience amulet plaque with several deities, Faience, Egyptian or Levantine
Faience amulet plaque with several deities
Egyptian or Levantine
1050-900 BCE

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 contact us using the form below. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.

Send feedback

Content Notice

The Metropolitan Museum of Art presents over 5,000 years of art from around the world, and our online collection reflects ongoing work conducted over the course of our more than 150-year history. You may encounter objects or images that may be inappropriate for some viewers or information that may be outdated.