The Collection
The American Wing Ancient Near Eastern Art Arms and Armor The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing Asian Art The Cloisters The Costume Institute Drawings and Prints Egyptian Art European Paintings European Sculpture and Decorative Arts Greek and Roman Art Islamic Art Robert Lehman Collection The Libraries Medieval Art Musical Instruments Photographs Antonio Ratti Textile Center Modern and Contemporary Art

Returned to lender The Met accepts temporary loans of art both for short-term exhibitions and for long-term display in its galleries.

Relief of an Elite Woman of the Provinces

Middle Kingdom

ca. 1981-1802 B.C.

Not on view

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 lavishly attired, elegant woman belonged to a procession of family members attending the nomarch (regional governor) Djehutyhotep II. An identifying inscription has not survived, but she was likely a sister or daughter. The fine artistry of the relief attests to the wealth commanded by regional leaders during the first half of the Twelfth Dynasty. After that period, the office of nomarch died out and with it the richly painted tombs of the Middle Egypt region.

Relief of an Elite Woman of the Provinces, Limestone, paint — Due to rights restrictions, this image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

Title: Relief of an Elite Woman of the Provinces

Period: Middle Kingdom

Dynasty: Dynasty 12

Reign: reign of Senwosret III

Date: ca. 1981-1802 B.C.

Geography: From Egypt, El-Bersha, Tomb of Djehutyhotep (Tomb 2)

Medium: Limestone, paint

Dimensions: 28 3/8 × 13 × 4 3/4 in. (72 × 33 × 12 cm)

Credit Line: The Trustees of the British Museum, London

Accession Number: SL.3.2015.25.11

The Met

Egyptian Art at The Met

The Met's collection of ancient Egyptian art consists of approximately 26,000 objects of artistic, historical, and cultural importance, dating from the Paleolithic to the Roman period.