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Stela of the Overseer of the Fortress Intef

Middle Kingdom
ca. 2000–1988 B.C.
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 107
On its top ledge, this stela proclaims the name of King Nebhepetre Mentuhotep II (ca. 2051–2000 B.C.), the founder of the Middle Kingdom. In the same line, the stela's owner, Intef, refers to himself as "his (the king's) servant." Intef also recounts that he was overseer of a fortress and served in the region of Herakleopolis, the capital city of the minor kings who ruled northern Egypt before the country's reunification under Mentuhotep II. An official could only have been appointed here after Mentuhotep II eliminated the last of the Herakleopolitan rulers during his reunification of Egypt (ca. 2021 B.C.)

Links to two blogs about this stela
Uncovering Middle Kingdom Egypt with Adela Oppenheim
My Early Life with the Middle Kingdom

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Stela of the Overseer of the Fortress Intef
  • Period: Middle Kingdom
  • Dynasty: Dynasty 11
  • Reign: Seankhkare Mentuhotep III
  • Date: ca. 2000–1988 B.C.
  • Geography: From Egypt
  • Medium: Limestone
  • Dimensions: H. 78 × W. 142 × D. 8.5 cm, 189.1 kg (30 11/16 × 55 7/8 × 3 3/8 in., 417 lb.)
  • Credit Line: Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1957
  • Object Number: 57.95
  • Curatorial Department: Egyptian Art

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