Folded Piece of Linen with Hieratic Inscription
This folded piece of linen was found in a mass grave of at least fifty-nine soldiers. The bodies showed evidence of violence, and from their wounds it was apparent that they died on the battlefield. Buried with the individuals were small pieces of military equipment such as bows and arrows. The excavator believed that these "slain soldiers" were connected with a specific historic event that lead to the reunification of Egypt under Mentuhotep II, but a reevaluation of the evidence does not support this theory. On the corners of the linen sheets were inscriptions, some with the names that were popular only later, in early Dynasty 12. The paleography of the inscriptions and the type of wrist guard found with the soldiers also point to a date early in the 12th dynasty, which can perhaps be narrowed down to the reign of Senwosret I (the second king of Dynasty 12). The hieratic inscription on this piece reads "Sobekhotep, son of Imeny, son of Sobekhotep" and is written in red ink.
Artwork Details
- Title: Folded Piece of Linen with Hieratic Inscription
- Period: Middle Kingdom
- Dynasty: Dynasty 12
- Reign: Possibly Senwosret I
- Date: ca. 1961–1917 B.C.
- Geography: From Egypt, Upper Egypt, Thebes, Deir el-Bahri, Tomb MMA 507 (The Slain Soldiers), MMA excavations, 1926–27
- Medium: Linen
- Dimensions: Folded: 25.5 x 17.5 cm (10 1/16 x 6 7/8 in.)
- Credit Line: Rogers Fund, 1927
- Object Number: 27.3.118
- 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. 1981–1975 B.C.
ca. 1492–1473 B.C.
ca. 1336–1327 B.C.
ca. 1336–1327 B.C.
ca. 1981–1975 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.