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An

Egyptian Bestiary
Dorothea Arnold

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUMOF ART

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Acknowledgments
Theauthor wishes to express herwarmest appreciation for suggestions, comments, andstimulating questions to Martina D'Alton andTonia L. Payne, editors.Shealsowishes to thank James Allen,Marsha Hill,Catharine Roehrig, andJoanDetter of theDepartment of Egyptian ArtatTheMetropolitan Museum of Artforcomments andsuggestions. James G. Doherty, general curator of mammals at theWildlife Conservation Society, read themanuscript andcontributed highly welcome critical remarks on thezoology. Anyerrors that remain arestrictly theresponsibility of theauthor. Thanks alsogo to George Wheeler and Deborah Schorsch, Department of Objects Conservation attheMetropolitan Museum, who identified materials.

Chapter-opening images
Page 7, "The Egyptian Desert": A deceased official adores deities in thewestern desert. Detailfroma watercolor facsimile after a painting in thetombof Userhat (T SI)at Thebes, early Dynasty I9, ca. I294-I279 B.C. Norman de Garis Davies, dateunknown. Rogers Fund, I930 (30.4.3I). Page 24, "Wetlands andWaterways": Marshland fauna. Watercolor facsimile after a painting in thetombof Menna atThebes, Dynasty I8, ca.I400-I35O B.C. Ninade Garis Davies, I924. Rogers Fund, I930 (30.4.48). Page 38, "The Alluvial Land": Activities in the alluvial land.Detail froma watercolor facsimileafter a painting in thetombof Nakht, Dynasty I8, ca.I400 B.C. Norman de Garis Davies, dateunknown. Rogers Fund, I9IS
(I55

Page6I, "ABriefHistoryof Animal Representations in Egyptian Art":Geese. Watercolor facsimileaftera paintingin the tomb of Itet, Dynasty2, ca. 2600 K. Wilkinson,I920-hI.
(3I.6.8) B.C.

Charles

RogersFund,I93I

*I9b)

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Director'sNote

copiestheywere "Metropolitan theslavish sobriquet making and"intheiroff hiredto produce," beapplied Zoo" might sketchto the themselves appropriately very times. . . amused of the of lifeon flakes ingsnatches of ourdepartgalleries of whichlittered Thousands limestone art. of Egyptian paper-white ment citedourhorse Winlock theground." andreptiles feathanimals, birds, hismuzzle rubbing ante- (no.70) "drawn andscaled from furred, ered, as (in foreleg" hisoutstretched toalmost against from 3/6 inches lopeto zebu, to a alabaster "surely from feet, in media understanding) four WinlocEs no scene ofyears pure forprobably experiment, thousands represent obsidian anysuchfigThroughout in thetombcontained animal art. of Egyptian (no.35),a Anda hippopotamus rela- ure." man's collections, theMuseum's andrelbeast Egyptian quintessential so isseldom withcreatures tionship (back William ativeof our"mascot," portrayed. sensitively hiseye:"Oneof the caught thebrilliant cover), Herbert E.Winlock, bitsthathaveever oftheMetro- mostcharming and director Egyptologist of is on a flake comeout of Egypt in a I932 to I939, wrote from politan the bigness about limestone whitest Egyptian that I923 Bulletin December hand.Some of the palmof a man's anlcWrawlng W to en]oy seemec artlsts howhe hasbeenasked sculptor in try- temple interest "far more taking mals, and, a hippopotamus woulddraw in than such subjects ingto draw

The

he hasportrayed up thisflake, picking hue brown of a purplish beast a sedate withpinkeyesandbellyandan enorwitha fewswift mousjowlindicated hisdelight. Weshare of black." strokes of thisBulletin"safari" Theleader curator in charge Arnold, is Dorothea ArtDepartment, of theEgyptian is forthesubject whosefascination text.To in herinspired evident clearly shecalled accuracy, zoological ensure curageneral G. Doherty, uponJames Conat theWildlife torof mammals Wehopethattheir Society. servation yourenjoyment willenhance efforts "atlarge" creatures of alltheEgyptian in ourgalleries.

de Montebello Philippe Director

ofArt Bulletin Museum TheMetropolitan


I995 Spring

4 (ISSN0026-I52I) LII,Number Volume

postage paidatNew Second-class N.Y.I0028-OI98. Avenue, NewYork, of Art,IOOO Fifth Museum (C) I995 byTheMetropolitan quarterly Published by andis available members to Museum asa benefit ofArt Bulletinis provided Museum Offices.TheMetropolitan Mailing N.Y.,andAdditional York, Sendaddress POSTMASTER: of address. forchange weeks' noticerequired $8.95. Four copies a year. Single $25.00 Subscriptions subscription. on available Back issues N.Y.I0028-OI98. NewYork, Avenue, of Art,IOOO Fifth Museum TheMetropolitan Department, to Membership changes reprint set asdothbound available I-XEVII (I905-I942) Mich.48I06. Volumes AnnArbor, 300N. ZeebRoad, Microfilms, fromUniversity microfilm Box700, N.H. 03079, orfromtheMuseum, Drive #Io, Salem, Inc.,50 Northwestern Publishers Ayer Company from yearly volumes orasindividual L. Payne. Editor:Tonia Holt.Associate Joan Editorin Chiefofthe BULLETIN: JohnP.O'Neill. ofPublicatzons: N.Y.II379. GeneralManager Village, Middle Studio of The byThePhotograph noted, unless otherwise Allphotographs, Shroyer. Design: Michael Reingold. andJay Pimm Matthew Production: I7, 44, 6I pages titlepage, front cover, Bruce White: (g3 photographs Jr.Additional Coscia byJoseph Museum of Art.Newphotography Metropolitan Period, Magna, Ptolemaic Hermopolis Falcon. Title page:Flying IO-II. B.C. Seepages I8, ca.I400 Dynasty Gazelle, 64. Frontcover: detail), (hawk Game. andJackals Pagefi4: Hounds Gift,I9Z6 (Z6.7.991). Edward S. Harkness 1.11%8 in. (zgcm).Purchase, faience inlay; 304-30 B.C. Polychrome Back Gift,I926 (26.7.I287). S. Harkness Edward andwood;h. 2/2 in. (6.3cm).Purchase, B.C. Ivory I2, ca.I800 lateDynasty Birabi, tomb2SX Thebes, (I7.9.I) I9I7 S. Harkness, h. 43/8 in. (II.2 cm).Giftof Edward B.C. Faience; I2, ca. I900-I800 Dynasty Meir, Hippopotamus. cover:

The Metropolitan Museum of Art is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve, and extend access to The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin www.jstor.org

The Metropolitan Museum of Art is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve, and extend access to The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin www.jstor.org

andthe poeticmetaphors, thanpurely represensameis trueforthepictorial or asa falcon of thegodHorus tations elvlne. acImages, sunasa beetle. of the therising reverence Onewayto express entiwere belief, Egyptian to cording the use wasthrough divinein animals A tieswithlivesof theirown,andthe in artandreligion. images of animal orother beetle, of a falcon, picture hymnexclaims: NewKingdom thegodbut not onlydescribed animal Hailto you,Atenof daytime, couldstandin forthedeityasa visthemlive! of all,whomakes Creator of the manifestation ibleandtangible plumed. brightly Great falcon, Thisunderandintangible. invisible himself. whoraised Beetle related is closely of images standing a played indeed, of thesolar to magic. Animals, In thistextthecharacter thaumaturgy, rolein Egyptian associ- great firstthrough deityis described objects andmagical andmanyamulets falcon colored ationwitha brightly imagery. usedanimal intothesky, soars whotriumphantly of substantiality The perceived witha scarab thenby identification notwithstandimages divineanimal earth on thefertile whocrawls beetle thatthesun thought ing,no Egyptian dungball, its mysterious pushing or likea falcon looked godactually of thesundisk.In whichis theshape knewthat worshiper andevery callson common beetle, eachcasetheimage totality the conveyed image single no experience of and observation human Thisis whyin textssuchas of a deity. andthereby animal witha particular shift above theimages theonequoted of a deity. theproperties evokes andin tO another, fromoneanimal thatto to realize It is important ln a arta deltycanappear plctorlal weremore theseimages Egyptians, withthegods,andthrough existence withthe couldbe made themcontact
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in theformof various context single in difor asthesameanimal animals poses. ferent thatno oneimage Theknowledge of a theessence canfullyrepresent to thatmost deityalsocontributed art,the of Egyptian creation puzzling bodyandananimal godwitha human Egyptians head(nos.I4, 28). Again, didnot thinkthatany unquestionably formed wereactually of theirdeities areconceptual The images thatway. partby part, be "read" andshould Thehuman script. likehieroglyphic thatno orditheviewer bodyinforms andthe is depicted, naryanimal thesuperhuman headsignals animal It is solelydue of thedeity. properties imaginative artists' to theEgyptian conthatsuchtheoretically abilities convincing became pictograms ceived of a thirdkind. creatures differenrepresentations Egyptian thecombined between tiateclearly of a god image human-and-animal wearing of persons anddepictions

I8, ca. I425 Dynasty at Thebes, in the tombof Rekhmire aftera painting notesthe spoilsof thehunt.Drawing Fig.1. A scribe of Art Museum of The Metropolitan Publications at Thebes, ofRekh-mi-Re Davies,TheTomb de Garis Norman From pL 44 I943), vol. II (NewYork, Expedition, Egyptian

B.C.

Fig.2. Hieroglyphic signdepicting a ramanddesignating the syllable khnum in thenameof thetombowner. Watercolor facsimileaftera painting in thetombof Khnumhotep at Beni Hasan, Dynasty I2, ca. I897-I878 B.C. Norman or Ninade Garis Davies, I93I. Rogers Fund,I933 (33.8.9)

Fig. 3. Hyena atbay. Watercolor facsimile after apainting in thetomb of Amenemope atThebes, Dynasty I8, ca.1400-I390 B.C. Charles K. Wilkinson, I920-2I. Rogers Fund,
I930 (30m4tI23)

animal masks, suchasthejackal masks thatwerewornbypriests duringfuneral andtemple ritesandthe lionmasks thatmagicians woreon theirheads. Thepractice of wearing masks- knownfrommanycultures allovertheworld-is based on the understanding thatbyslipping into ananlmalmage, a person canstep out of humanness to become another beingthatwields divine power. If theimages of animals evoked the r 1 *1 .. .. presence or oeltlesane splrlts, lt 1S not astonishing thatindividual livinganimalscouldserve asrepositories for gods,in muchthesame waythat, according to Egyptian belief, statues offered a godplaces of materialization.Theindividual animal chosen forsucha role forinstance, theApis bull(no.66) wasoftensingled out fromothers of thespecies bybeing
* .

marked bodily in a certain manner, andafter itS death another individual bearing thesamemarkings wouldbe installed. Thespecies asa wholewas not included in suchworship. A different matter wasthebelief thatentire species, suchascats,ibises, andcrocodiles, weresacred to certain deities, whomighthaveanaffinity withtheparticular animal thatwasalso expressed in images of thedeity. Such beliefs became especially strong in the LatePeriod (664-332 B.C.) andPtolemaicandRoman times(304B.C.A.D. 39S) andresulted in thecustom of embalming thousands of animals fromcertain species andburying them in vastunderground cemeteries (no.4S) Onemaybe tempted to see in suchproliferation a signof decline in thespontaneous awethatcharacterized man's attitude toward animals

in earlier periods. However, thebasic concept underlying theLatePeriod sacred animal rites wasdeeply rooted in Egyptian religious thinking, which considered animals to be the"external souls" orpotencies (baw) of a god. Theanimals of Egypt werenot merely useful companions; many were dangerous, lifethreatening, and destructive. The Egyptians neverthelessdidnot categorize theanimal worldaseither goodor evil.On the contrary, Egyptians hadwhatseems at firstto be anambivalent attitude toward mostanimals. Hippos, crocodiles,turtles, andotherspecies appear to haverepresented beneficial qualitiesat sometimesandevilaspects at others (nos.33-37).Thisphenomenonwasso widespread thattheword amolvalence seems lnauequate. Modern logicfindsa contradiction in
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a duality thatfortheancient people turmoil anddestruction were asnecwasaninherent quality of existence. essary andreal asthetriumphant Animals, fortheEgyptians, were nei- forces of lifeandorder. Therefore, it ther solely beneficial norexclusively must have seemed deeply meaningfi evil, butembodied forces oflifebeyond to theEgyptians that potentially goodandevil. destructive andlife-threatening aniCentral to allunderstanding of life mals, such ashippos andcrocodiles, in ancient Egypt is theconcept of lived in themarshland's muddy cyclic renewal. Animals demonstrated waters. Muddy water wasconsidered their role in theever-recurring rebirth thequintessential environment of creof nature andtheuniverse through ation, since it wasfrom thesodden their ability tO procreate andmultiply. fields after theannual flooding bythe Itwas thisfact that made represenriver Nilethatfresh life-sustaining tations of animal lifeappropriate vegetation grew. Thehippo, therefore, decorations fortombs. Many such itsheavy figure decorated withmarshdepictions incorporated dangerous land plants, symbolically combines predators, suchaswildcats orcroco- thedangers of destruction andthe diles, their evilintentions directed renewal of lifein onepotent image especially against theyoung. Renewal, (see back cover). according to Egyptian thought, was Theancient Egyptians' attitude of theoutcome ofa never-ending struggle awe toward ananimal world that incorbetween creative anddestructive porated a multitude of deities and forces. Inthisstruggle theforces of forces of lifewasneither contradicted

nordiminished bytheequally strong conviction that animals shared with humans protection bya supreme deity, wzose most lmportant representatlve wasthesolar godRe.Inthisreligious context man derived confidence and consolation from thecontemplation of thegod's wise provision forallcreatures, andanimals appeared asthe siblings ofhumans. InEgyptian artthisaspect of animallifeproved to beoneof themost
* * . * *

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animals withprecision andcare. In literature many texts, especially of the NewKingdom, express thesame thoughts. Thefollowing hymn is addressed to thesungod:
Youaretheonewhohascreated all thatexists, Whocreates theherbs fromwhichthe cattle live, Andthetreeof lifeformankind, Whobrought forththeriver which letsthefishes live, Andthebirds whofillthesky. Whogivesairto theonein theegg; Whokeeps alivetheyoungof the snake, Whocreates whatthemosquito lives off, Aswellasworms andfleasi Whocares forthemicein theirdens Andkeeps alivethebeetles in allkinds of wood.

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6

The

Egyptian Desert

themostfamous literary work forpOtS. Mostimportantly, in ancient of ancient Egypt, Sinuhe, a timestheEgyptian desert wasteeming nobleman, fearing thewrath of withwildlife. a newpharaoh, fleesEgypt and During theprehistoric period and crosses theeastern desert intoAsia. theOld Kingdom, theareas borderYears later, asan oldman,he returns ingtheNilevalley on theeastand anddescribes hisperilous journeys: westweresteppe rather thanbarren "An attack of thirstovertook me," wasteland, supporting patches of grass, he writes aboutadventures during his shrubs, andevenoccasional trees. desert crossing. "Iwasparched, my Minor watercourses andsporadic rains throat burned. I said,'Thisis thetaste nourished theplants, andthevegetaof death."' To theancient Egyptians tionin turnsustained a richvariety of thevastaridlandsflanking theirferanimals. Forhumans livingin the tilevalley couldindeed carry thethreat Nilevalley, wildsteppe gameconstiof death. If theyventured beyond the tutedan important source of foodin valley margins, theymightsuffer as theseearly timesandserved asofferdidSinuhe, fallvictimto predators, ingsto thegodsthrough allperiods of or encounter strange andforeign Egyptian history. Hunting steppe anipeople. It musthaveseemed fitting malsin thewideopenlands gave thatthedesert wasa "land of death," kingsandnobles ample opportunities where theEgyptians buried their dead. to prove their valor andfeelthemHowever, thedesert wasalsothe selves to be masters of theuniverse. bountiful realm thatprovided stone In Egyptian religion the existence of forEgypt's magnificent buildings and abundant animal lifein the"land of statuary, goldandsemiprecious gems death" became a potentsymbol of life forjewelry, metals andminerals for after death. Innumerable representaluxury goodsandweapons, andclay tionsof desert andsteppe animals in

In

tombs androyal funerary monuments, aswellastheuseof suchanimals as amuletic objects, areevidence of this. During thewholepharaonic period, wildherdanimals suchasantelope andibexandpredators suchaslions andleopards roamed thesteppe while it turned gradually intodesert. Many othercreatures-from tinyjerboas, whoselonghindlegsenabled them to perform acrobatic leaps, to hedgehogsandwildcats-madetheir homes in thehillysteppe region. There were stillelephants andgiraffes in thisarea in fourth millennium Egypt, butthey gradually diminished ascultivation, raising livestock, andclearing woodland,alongwithclimatic changes, caused steppe vegetation to recede. Today, although theEgyptian desert stillsupports somevegetation andwildlife,manhasbrought manyEgyptian desert species to thebrink of extinction, andthedesert andsteppe environmentsthattheancient Egyptians knewcanbe foundonlyin presentdaySudan or farther south.
7

I. Comb
h. 2X4 in. ca.3200 B.C. Ivory; Predynastic, Collection, M. Davis cm).Theodore (S.7 I9Ii M. Davis, ofTheodore Bequest
(30.8.224)

2. The Hunt in the Steppe ca. 23S0B.C. Dynasty, probably Saqqara, in. (60.3cm). Rogers h. 23X4 Limestone; Fund,I908 (08.20I.Ig)

in relief carved minutely The animals now on thissmallcomb(itsteeth with havebeenidentified missing) On oneside moreorlesscertainty. thetop)area rowof elephants (from thenone on giantcobras, standing its under a snake has which stork, of a its foodor the either beak(indicating it inhabits), environment wetland storks, more three a giraffe, leading Thenextthree orcrane. anda heron the a dogattacking rowsinclude a line felines, large of three hindmost and onegazelle (possibly of antelope anda lineof whatmight oryx), three in a staror be dogsorpigs,ending sidethe other On thecomb's flower. butbelow top two rowsarerepeated, a row, in (jackals?) themarecanids by cattleorwildbulls,and followed a lineof dogsorpigs.Theaniagain fromrowto directions malsalternate or an lmpresslon Thlscreates row. whilethe andperpetuity, continuity is filledwith space factthattheentire of an overwhelming speaks animals life. of animal abundance aremoreschematiThe elephants thantheotheranimals, callypresented atoptheserpents andtheirposition The mythology to be symbolic. seems eleassociates peoples African of many withthecreation andserpents phants
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wasthemostimThebowandarrow ln anclent weapon huntlng portant the Oldandearly butduring Egypt, animals grazing Kingdoms Middle after withlassos wereoftenhunted a stockinto driven been had herd the to catchthe ade.It wasimportant so thattheycouldbe fatalive animals theywere before tenedin captivity an Onedetail(top)shows slaughtered. beingroped nubiana, ibex ibex,Capra row The uppermost of theuniverse. of thesteppe. in thehillylandscape a cre- Thepenis not represented maythusrepresent of eachrelief in this deityto whomtherestof the ative asit is in manyotherhunting relief, No human scenes. existence. owetheir animals thehuntsDogsaccompany on thecomb,butthe men;in theotherdetail(bottom) beingis depicted dog shown onehoundcatches of theattacking presence gazelle, a Dorcas by its upward-curling Gazella asdomesticated by the leg, while dorcas, of man, hintsat theexistence tail A hareanda a hyena. attacks another withpharaComparison thehunter. andbushes trees behind crouch gazelle suchasthe onicrepresentations, Hieroglyphic thehunters. to escape sugeven I2, may in number names drawing givetheanimals' inscriptions to a ruling gestthatthisdogbelongs thelassohunt. anddescribe orking. chieftain to thewell-known In addition times Whileivoryin pharaonic theMuseum tombof Perneb, complete wasveryoftenof hippotooth,this of Prince chapel ownsthefunerary an ivory, combis madeof elephant herearetaken Thedetails Ra-m-kaj. maystill thatelephants indication on its southwall.The froma relief thedesert-steppes prince must havebeenroaming to the throne heir and millennium a because at theendof thefourth havediedprematurely, hisof dynastic B.C. Bythe beginning a judge for carved tomboriginally weregone for andgiraffes wasadapted elephants Neferiretnes tory, named andtodaylionsno fromEgypt, .l1S lnterment. livethere. longer
. * * . . i

01

3. Gazelle ivory, Dynasty I8, ca.I400 B.C. Tinted h. 4/2 in. inlay; wood, andblue-pigment S. Harkness Edward (II.5 cm). Purchase, Gift,I926 (26.7.I292)

A lovepoemof theNewKingdom to the of the lover likens thepassion of a gazelle asit fleesthe intensity hunter:
[lover] O thatyoucameto yoursister swiftly, in thewild; gazelle Likea bounding Itsfeetreel,itslimbsareweary, hasentered its body. Terror pursues it withhishounds. A hunter

seems ivory gazelle Thiselegant poised forjustsucha flight,itsslenon theuneven derlegssetdaintily among It stands ground of thesteppe. into the that are incised desert plants woodenbaseandfilledwithbluepigment.Theplumplittlebodyis theheadheld smooth andlustrous, neck,andthe alertly on a swanlike brown. circular eyestinteda velvety

and on theforehead Purple coloring muzzle, aswellasasymmetrically lineson the applied purple-brown differbackandtail,mayindicate of thefur.The encesin theshading Theanimal's brown. hooves aredark off,andthehorns, ears arebroken material, madeof another originally aremlsslng. wasmost statuette Thegazelle equippartof a richburial probably theanimal ment.In thiscontext of forthepowers served asa symbol attributed to renewal thatEgyptians The andsteppe animals. alldesert themummy alsopossesses Museum with thatwasburied of a realgazelle ladyof thecoffinof a Theban 26 (664-525 B.C.). Dynasgr
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in the of ThreeDeben 4. Weight Shape of a Gazelle


III, of Amenhotep Dynasty I8, reign h. 2X8 in. ca. I390-I353 B.C. Bronze; Wallace LilaAcheson (5.4cm). Purchase, Gift,I968 (68.I39.I)

whoshaped thisbronze Theartist obof carefully gazelle wasa master Theneckstretches served details. basein a natural, fromitshumped The correct manner. anatomically aretensed, muscles of thehindquarters on theleg theweight resting reflecting lidshalfcover drooping joints.Heavy, nostrils are andtheanimal's theeyes, Theartist theair. flared asif scenting of thehard thequalities hascaptured ears. andthesoftfurry knobby horns incisions on thebackof the Three was thatthefigure animal indicate (273 to weighthreedeben supposed morethanits whichis slightly grams), a differactual weightof 26I.8 grams, Bronze bycorrosion. encecaused formwerecomweights in animal They theNewKingdom. monduring usedto weighgoldthat weremainly orwas andtribute served aspayment in or othercraftsmen usedbyjewelers theirwork.

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S Antelope Head Dynasty27, 525-404 B.C. Graywacke, inlaid Egyptian alabaster andagateeyes;h. 3/2 in. (9 cm). Purchase, Rogers andFletcher FundsandJoseph Pulitzer Bequest, I992
(I992. 55)

Thesculptor hasshaped thisheadof anantelope so skillfully thata distinct impression of itsdelicate, thinbone structure is conveyed. Theskinis stretched overtensesinews andlean flesh. Thesoft,sensitive muzzle seems welladapted to sample desert herbs andgrass. Theeyes,almond shaped withluminous alabaster inlays for theeyeballs, areespecially striking. Theremaining agate inlayof theright pupil bluish purple witha gray outercircle lendsa hypnotic quality to theantelope's gaze.Originally horns of ivory or gilded woodwere attached to theheadbytenons. Onlyrecently havegazelles, antelope,andibexbecome scarce to the polntorextlnctlon ln egypt.even at thetimethisheadwasmade, however, it wasprobably rare fortheordinary nonhunting Egyptian of the alluvial landto encounter oneof these elegant creatures. Thesculptor certainly reflected in hisworkan expressionof aweat thequasi-miraculous appearance of theanimal. Thehead a masterpiece of Late Period animal sculpture-wasmost likelynot partof anentire figure but rather crowned theprowof a ceremonialboatdedicated to thegodSokar, whowasin charge of thedesert and thepyramid cemeteries nearEgypt's capital, Memphis.

6. Ibex
Dynasty I8, ca.I55O-I300 B.C. Faience (figures of a crocodile anda fishengraved onunderside); h. /2 in. (I.2 cm).Purchase, Edward S. Harkness Gift,I926 (26.7.So)

7. Ibex
Late Dynasty I8, probably reign of Amenhotep III,ca.I390-I353 B.C. Mottled semitranslucent cryptocrystalline quartz closely resembling jasper (horn damaged; twoholes drilled on underside, oneeach, front andback); h. I in. (2.5 cm).Purchase, Vaughn Foundation Gift,I980 (I980.2)

ibexfrequently served asthehieroglyphic emblem fortheword"year." Thesetworepresentations of recumbent ibexaremarkedly different fromeachotherin posture andexpression. Thefaience animal on its littlebasemightbe crouching behind a bushduring a hunt.Eyes wideopen andheadonlyslightly raised fromthe forelegs, theanimal seems to be listeningandsniffing forthedreaded hunter andhisdogs.In contrast, the quartz ibexliftsitS headproudly on an upright neck.In a posture recalling thebronze gazelle (no.4), both forelegs arebentbackward andthe bodyrests gracefully on theleft haunch. Despite thesmallsizeof thefigure, theartist hasconveyed the uneven weight distribution with remarkable accuracy. Theanimal's body is curved, andthelefthindleghasdisappeared under thehaunch. Thispose wasusedforthelarge ramsculptures thatKing Amenhotep IIIdedicated to thegodAmun-Re at his temple of Soleb,Upper Nubia.The strong influence suchlarge sculptures exerted on theminor artsis reflected in the smallfigures of thisibexandthe bronze gazelle. The two ibexfigures served as adornment. Thefaience oneis pierced horizontally to fit into a ring.The quartz ibexmayhavedecorated an elaborate perfume vessel, in which caseit wouldhavebeenattached by pegsortubesprotruding fromtheunderside andbypieces of wiresecuring it frontandback.

Theancient Egyptians considered the ibexto be a good-luck charm and symbol of renewal. Ibexfigures often decorated NewYear's gifts,andin "Happy NewYear" inscriptions an
13

of the GodAnubisas 8. Statuette Embalmer


with 304-30B.C. Wood Period, Ptolemaic andpaint; h. I6/2 in. (42cm).Giftof gesso I938 (38.5) Myron C.Taylor, Mrs.

the represents figure Thiswooden witha canidheadon a godAnubis thefeather body, wearing human In this deities. of Egyptian costume downpalms raised, pose hands purifiward thegodperformed ritesover cationandtransfiguration mumtheactual During a mummy. a wearlng a prlest process, mltlcatlon of Anubis. the role played canidmask
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froma Diadem 9. StagProtome


ca.I640I5-I6, Period, Dynasty Hyksos 37/6 in. h. of protome IS5O B.C. Gold; Wallace Lila Acheson Purchase, (8.8 cm). Gift,I968 (68.I36.I) Damv deer, fallow The Persian byway cameto Egypt mesopotamica, in thePleistocene of theSuezisthmus

evenduring wasrare era.Thespecies timesandlivednot in the pharaonic at the butin thebrush proper steppe It is lands. of theagricultural border saw actually thatfewEgyptians likely fromthe although thisshyanimal, reptheNewKingdom Oldthrough stags of themagnificent resentations of thehuntin the in images appear desert. thiscenwhohammered Theartist fromsheetgoldforthe terprotome ladyof highrank of a Hyksos crown image thathe sucha detailed created creahaveseentheactual musteither hisworkuponanother tureorbased Thehead closeobservation. artist's characteristics alltheessential shows dimenthemajestic of thespecies: puffy brow, furrowed sions,triangular nose,andlarge rectangular cheeks, details minor ears. Even funnel-shaped fromtheknobby arewellrepresented, of theantlers thebase around cirdes goldwireand bytwisted indicated theears to thepores around repeated in thefleshof thenose.Thesenaturalof aswellasthetechnique isticfeatures, obthree-dimensional manufacturing halves, twohammered jectsbyjoining thatthe Egyptian is so essentially be attributed piecemustundoubtedly artlst. to an qgyptlan with is alsoadorned Thediadem andlotusblossoms. of gazelles heads in theOldKingdom, Beginning andlotus withpapyrus headbands worn werefrequently ornaments Thecombinawomen. byEgyptian andhorned flowers tionof marsh hasa foreign heads desert-animal thatmaybestbe however, character, of a Hyksos to thetaste attributed tiesto theCanaanite withstrong client Ageculture. Middle Bronze
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a to. Headof a Canid,Possibly Jackal


plaster; 664-332B.C. Gypsum LatePeriod, Fund,I974 1.2M2 in. (6.4 cm). Rogers (I974264)

of wildcanids Theclassification Cvnis jackal, theEgyptian forinstance at lupaster, andthewilddog living desert of theEgyptian themargins It evenforzoologists. problems causes thatthe therefore, is not surprising, didnot distinguish Egyptians ancient in theirreprecanidspecies particular such asthenecropof gods, sentations (seeno. 8);Duamutef, olisgodAnubis or oneof thefoursonsof Horus; a town thegodof Asyut, Wepwawet, Thissensitively Egypt. in Middle headcouldhave plaster modeled served to depictanyof thesedeities. unandtherough, Theuseof plaster theearsindicate area around modeled thattheheadwascastin a mold. hasshownthat research Recent of finely artists useda variety Egyptian fortrial plaster materials graded of art.This works piecesandfinished withOldKingsmall headis in a class andthefamous heads dom"reserve" from portraits plaster New Kingdom In the studioatAmarna. anartist's was moldcasting latter workshop, alsopracticed.

15

II.

AnubisRecumbent

26-27,664-404B.C. Dynasty Saqqara, black (neck, painted originally Limestone, of base leg,andpart right nose, leftear, Milton 1.25X4 in.(64cm).Adelaide restored); of thedeGroot Fund, in memory deGroot I969(6g.Io5) families, andHawley

a Lion Spears t2. Pharaoh 20lateDynasty Valley oftheKings, Thebes, Period, ca.II00Intermediate Third h. (ofstone) limestone; 700 B.C. Painted S. Edward Purchase, 5/2 in. (I4 cm). Gift,I926 (26.7.I453) Harkness livedin aweof Egyptians Theancient andlionsespecially felines, thegreat of astheembodiment wereregarded

Anubis oftendepicted artists Egyptian formandin a pose in animal entirely To guardianship. watchful indicating in theEgyptian thisday,in cemeteries theirterriwilddogsguarding desert, alert pose stretch outin thesame tories sculpture. limestone asthispowerfill figure wasexcavated The near-lifesize B. Walter archaeologist by British at Saqqara, deposit in a temple Emery Egypt's near ancient thevastnecropolis objects were Temple Memphis. capital, thevariandhiddenduring gathered It is not on Memphis. raids ousforeign theAnubis fromwhichtemple known sanctuary came. A LatePeriod statue theAnubieion, called of Anubis, by oneof thenumerwassurrounded thatwere at Saqqara ouscemeteries of to theburial dedicated specifically animals. sacred

deity, forexample, A lioness power. Kingdom in a Middle wasaddressed whoseeyesare Great, textas"the the aresharp, keenandwhoseclaws by whoseesandcatches lioness of lionswasa Thehunting night." asshownin this prerogative, royal by an sketch anddetailed masterly whoadded draftsman, Egyptian on script in flowery to pharaoh praise of the thebackof thepiece.Flakes werethetralimestone Theban dense and of scribes "notepaper" ditional The in theNewKingdom. artists areoftenthoseof master hands (seealsonos.3Sand63). draftsmen thatthislion havestressed Scholars doesnot standon thesamelevelas dog.As andhiswell-trained pharaoh of chaos, theforces thelionembodies the to a worldbeyond it belongs king. of theEgyptian realm ordered Lions werepartof the Egyptian ago, untilabouttwocenturies fauna they periods andin thepharaonic They common. musthavebeenfairly wellknownto herdswerecertainly asthemostdangermenandhunters the Recently of thesteppe. ousanimal

.-:

16

skeletal remains of adult aswellas young lions were discovered near the tomb of theFirst Dynasty king Hor Aha(ca.2960-2926 B.C.) atAbydos, Middle Egypt clear evidence that from thebeginning Egyptians kept captive lions attheroyal court. Theremains of a NewKingdom zoowere found in theDeltapalace of King Ramesses II(ca.I279-I2I3 B.C.) at Qantir. Lions, elephants, andhorned desert beasts hadbeen kept in this
menagerie.

I3. Recumbent Lion


Said tO befrom Gebelein, Early Dynastic, ca.3000-2700 B.C. Quartz; h. 43/4 in. (I2 cm). Purchase, Fletcher Fund andGuide Foundation Inc.Gift,I966 (66.99.2)

Theartist's sketch of a royal lion hunt wasreportedly found near the entrance to thetomb ofTutankhamun, where it wasdiscarded byan artist, probably working in oneof the lateNewKingdom tombs nearby.

Theabstract form,lackof a base, and thewaythetailcurls up across the backof thisglowing figure of a lion datesit to Early Dynastic times.It is a somewhat enigmatic masterpiece, and scholars haveproposed various interpretations. Theanimal hasbeenidentifiedasa maneless malelion,a lioness, anda cub.Thislastis most likely. Noneof thehardstone sculptures of powerful adultlionsthatwere madearound thesamedatematches theshort head,over-large nose,soft

mouth,andgeneral furriness of ears, paws, andbody. Thesefeatures, decidedly thoseof a younglion,mustbe read asintentionally reproduced characteristics of theanimal represented. It is diSlcult to explain themeaning of a lion-cub sculpture in thecontext of Egyptian religion andart,especially in thisearly period. In ancient Egypt lionsusually represented the king.There wasa famous temple of thegoddess Hathor at Gebelein, where thequartz lionwasreportedly found.Beginning in early times, Hathor wasnot onlythegoddess of lovebutalsoa celestial mother deity whoappeared asa cowsuckling the kingandasa wildlioness. Isthequartz lionherson,theking?
17

NewKingdom statues of Sakhmet, goddess of warandpestilence. On the beautiful, slender bodyof a woman Third Intermediate Period, ca.I0707I2 B.C. Faience; h. 2/2 in. (6.scm).Purchase, sitsthemenacing headof a lioness enEdward S. Harkness Gift,I926 (26.7.868) circled bythemane of themale, which hadbecome a symbol of power used regardless of gender. In herrighthand In Egyptian religion liongodswere thegoddess lessprominent thanlioness deities. holdsa sistrum, a musical instrument like a rattle. The sistrum The females embodied theessence of supernatural power andweremuch wasusedin performances thatwere believed to transform revered. However, it wasthegeneral thedangerous concept of thelioness deitythatwas Sakhmet into Bastet, thecatgoddess, important, not themanynames under herbenign counterpart. If Egyptians in theNewKingdom whichsheappeared. Thisoftenmakes it difflcult to distinguish iconographic- wouldcallthisgoddess Sakhmet, allybetween thevarious lioness deities thoselivingin theThirdIntermediate n egyptlan art. andLatePeriods oftenunderstood seated figures The enthroned goddess of this of thelioness deityto be intricate amulet closely resembles Wadjet, thegoddess of Lower Egypt,
* Tn -

I4. Amuletin the Formof a Seated Goddess with LionHead

whoalsoappeared in theshape of a cobra (seenos.48 and49). Believed to be endowed withmagic powers, thisWadjet in heramuletic roleis supported bya demonnamed Nehebkaw. He appears in thelatticeworkon thesideof thegoddess's throne asa serpent withhuman arms andlegs.Before himanother lioness deityis seen,thisonestanding. Sincealllioness deities wereclosely related to thesungod,Re,thisamulet'sheadwasoncecrowned by a sun disk,possibly of gilded bronze orgold. It wasattached by means of a peg inserted intoa holedrilled between theanimal's ears.

18

Kingdom thisbeliefled In theMiddle of including images of to thecustom in girdles worn by leopard heads of Amenhotep Malqata, Dynasty I8, reign alabaster; heads of thispiece III,ca. I390-I3S3 B.C. Egyptian women. Thelarge Fund,I9II (II.2IS.7IS) 1.sAs in. (I3 cm).Rogers hammered weremadein twohalves together. fromsheetgoldandsoldered spaces werefilledwith understood the Theinterior Theancient Egyptians soundwas pebbles so thata rhythmic andthe leopard, Panthera pardus, respectively, cheetah, Acinonyxjubatus, created whentheowner a princess Egyptian veror astheUpper andLower named Sithathoryunetwalked It is theresionsof thesameanimal. wasfound withthe danced. Thegirdle Amulet Leopard-Head I6. Double thatnot all foreunderstandable richjewelry in an rest of theprincess's froma Girdle clearly representations distinguished niche of her plundered undisturbed pyramid of Senwosret II,DynLahun, felines. In this between thetwolarge Thethread thatheld tombat Lahun. and I2, ca.I900-I840 B.C. Gold asty spoonthelong handle of a cosmetic Rogers theelements 1.IX4 in.(4 S cm).Purchase, amethyst; together haddisinteandHenry Walters Gift,I9I6 (I6.I.6) indicates Fund neckof theanimal probably waspainstakinggrated, buteachpiece is being celethatthecheetahis leap fromthesediment byone ly recovered a luxury brated. Thespoon,clearly heads andskins and,less Leopard archaeologists, Guy of theexpedition's of item,wasfoundin the palace as often,thoseof cheetahs served After theMuseum acquired Brunton. KingAmenhotep III,oneof thegreat priestly to mostof thejewelry garments andwerebelieved in I9I6, thegirdle pharaohs. hunters among Egypt's rejuvenation andfertility. guarantee fromBrunton's sketches. wasrestrung of a IS. Large Feline as Handle Cosmetic Spoon were Bothleopards andcheetahs in Egypt, astheywerein the common times. during ancient restof Africa in Egypt, theyare largely extinct Today having beenseenat thelastleopards century, of thetwentieth thebeginning rare cheetahs arestillliving whereas theLibyan border. near

19

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in a papyrus is expressed thedeceased Period of theThirdIntermediate B.C. Early DynastyI2, ca. I990-I900 (ca.I070-7I2 B.C.): "Ohcatof lapis alabaster; h. S:/2in. (I4 cm). Egyptian Wallace Gift,I990 LilaAcheson Purchase, of of forms . . . mistress lazuli, great (I990. S9 . I) grant thebeauhouse, theembalming in of the Dead]: teousWest[Land peace[abenediction]." in catsdidnot appear Domesticated wildcat alabaster Thisexquisite KingtheMiddle artbefore Egyptian andagile thefierce captures instances, vividly dom,andthenonlyin rare Theartist predator. of analert Felissilvestris nature wildcat, buttheAfrican musculature thebroad hascombined by represented wasalready libyca, catwith andshorttailof theswamp or during theOldKingdom, artists furof E silvestris. Thecat at leastfromabout2250 B.C. onward. thestriped forelegs on itshaunches, solitary predator sits lightly of this Thehabitat reac Wy to sprlng. W posltlon, markings ln a torwarc furandstriped withyellow at the marandbrush in thesmall wasthesteppe domestic There is nothing wide-open fromwhichit may ears, head withitserect ginsof thedesert, muzzle. Thisis eyes,andwell-defined intothewetlands havemadeforays of prey, suchasmice,birds, beast, wellableto assist in search a dangerous theevilApophis. livedanother thesungodagainst andfish.Inthemarshes or forcosmetic cat,E Toserve asa container species, theswamp wildcat ointment, thealabaster solid- medicinal body, which hada heavier chaus, fur,anda shorttail. colored outuntil,in places, form washollowed imeggshell thin.A stonestopweregreatly it became TheEgyptians espe- per(nowmissing) prowess, by thewildcat's fit into pressed originally A poisonous theopening ears. in fighting between thecat's cially its ferocity talentmadeit an Thisspecial snakes. ferocity of suchexquisite container of thesungod,Re, wouldsurely to its helper havelentpotency appropriate theApophis against in hisstruggle oil. a perfumed contents, of allevil. theembodiment snake, could thesungodhimself Sometimes of the"great in theshape evenappear of roleashelper Thecat's tomcat." I7. Wildcat
r . .

I8. Jerboas
I2 or lateDynasty MiddleKingdom, DynastyI3) ca. I8SO-I6sO B.C. Faience; h. I%6 in. (3.I cm);I /6 in. (4.2 cm). Gift,I926 S. Harkness Edward Purchase, (26.7.900, .90I)

theArabic jerboa (from TheEgyptian Jacu"flesh of lions"), meaning yarbu forjumpjaculus, is wellequipped lus ingand,givenitssmallsize,canleap r . . . orS1X orseven cWlstance a surprlslng suchasthesehave jerboas feet.Faience of Middle beenfoundin a number of three, of A group tombs. Kingdom was here, whichtwoaredepicted in the foundat Heliopolis, allegedly witha Delta,together southeastern andthe of a wildcat figure faience rod(no.38).If thisis correct, magic strong hadespecially thetombowner of animals. in thepotency beliefs is usually represented Thejerboa on its hindlegs,its upright sitting whichis how raised to itsmuzzle, paws It is sitwheneating. manyrodents Egyptians thattheancient alsopossible aspraying thegesture interpreted voUsedasfunerary deity. to thesolar served to mayhave tives,thejerboas hopethathe thedeceased's strengthen a newdayin comorshewouldreach withthesungod. panionship
21

I9. Genet
Dynasty26-29, 664-380 B.C. Faience; M. Davis 1.Ys in. (2.2cm).Theodore M. Davis, of Theodore Bequest Collection,
I9IS (30-8-8S9)

depicted in theOld werefrequently This Kingdoms. Middle andearly in to theirpresence attests tinyfigure B.C. thefirstmillennium

is a small genetta, The genet,Genetta to the civet,Viverra related carnivore butwithlesswell-developed civetta, usedartistic Egyptians scentglands. to showthesmallspotted license andichneugenet,likethewildcat birds stalking mon(ormongoose), thickets. andotherpreyin papyrus however, habitat, proper Thegenet's of the and shrubs tall grass wasthe margins, andat thedesert steppe whichit wouldleaveto huntin the andthe as didthewildcat marshes, Thegenetwassometimes ichneumon. Today andkeptasa mouser. tamed butthey in Egypt, areextinct genets

of in the Shape SealAmulets Hedgehogs


20.

ca.ISSNewKingdom, Left tO right: design on (scroll steatite I070 B.C. Glazed 26, base); 1.1/6 in. (I.8 cm).Dynasty withlonglegs (animal B.C. Faience 664-S2S 1.%16in. (I.4 cm).Late onbase); [gazelle?] B.C. 26, 664-S2s Dynasty Period, probably "the on base blue(inscribed Egyptian 1.13%6 in. of Bastet Si-mer-diw"); beloved Gould, I9I0 Miller Gifts of Helen (2.I cm).
(I0. I30. 87I, . 884, . 882)

wereknown Twokindsof hedgehogs the desert Egyptians: to theancient aethiopicus, Paraechinus hedgehog, on theleftandrightin represented

andHemiechinus theillustration, andis ears whichhadlarger auritus, The firstof these shownin thecenter. today in Egypt extinct is nearly species in pharabeencommon butmusthave theOld Kingdom onictimes.During hedgehogs Parvechinus short-eared andat the desert livedon thesteppe fromwhichthey edgein burrows at dawnor duskto search emerged smallmice,and of insects, formeals Eventodaythelarge-eared carrion. in thealluvial dwells Hemiechinus landof theNile Delta. hedgehogs artdesert In Egyptian of thehunt arepartof representations either Theyaredepicted in the desert. thebootyor in among in cagebaskets in frontof environment thesteppe The latter dens. to their entrances the to thehedgecouldbe a reference underground hogs'habitof sleeping

Theirreappearwhenfoodis scarce. maybe the longabsences anceafter that belief forthe Egyptians' basis of life, therenewal heralded hedgehogs usein amulets. fortheir anexplanation werealsothought amulets Hedgehog snakebites. poisonous against to protect Hemthelong-eared showing Amulets thanthosein arelessfrequent iechinus hedgehog. of thedesert theshape
2I.

Amulet Hare

304-30 B.C. Faience; Period, Ptolemaic Fund, I944(44.4.z5) cm).Rogers in. (3.5 1. I%8

of the animals thesmall Among hare, is thedesert desert Egyptian timesit was In ancient capensis. Lepus for prey worthy not considered andin representahunters, princely onlyoccasionally tionsit appears

thespoilsof thehunt.In among it can however, scenes, hunting many aspart be foundin thebackground of Thetombrelief of thelandscape. (seeno. 2), forexample, Ra-m-kaj in muchthe hare a desert includes astheonethatforms sameposition lowto the It crouches thisamulet. intenton eludearsflattened, ground, Thedesert notice. ingthehunter's transfur(here sand-colored hare's it blue)serves to anamuletic formed howIf detected, wellascamouflage. speedto thehareusesits great ever, helpit to escape. roleis not amuletic Thehare's and Greek Ancient forcertain. known thathares believed authors Roman openand eyes their with sleep could If copulation. without reproduce the beliefs, Egyptian thesewerealso

extreme haremighthaverepresented selfdeity's or theprimeval vigilance power. creating


22. Hareas a Hieroglyph II, of Mentuhotep temple Deirel-Bahri, II, of Mentuhotep II, latereign Dynasty 1.of limestone; ca.2040-tOIO B.C. Painted I1X6 in. (5cm).Giftof Egypt hieroglyph I907 (07.230.z) Fund, Exploration

fromKingMenThisdetailof a relief at Deir temple II'smortuary tuhotep of thecare is a goodexample el-Bahri rendered artists withwhichEgyptian insignsin monumental hieroglyphic writing In thepictographic scriptions. theharerepEgypt, of ancient system of consonants thecombination resents in theimportant wn andwasthusused "tobe." wordmeaning

23

Wetlandsand

Waterways

At

withdanin encounters ofphara- theirstrength thebeginning or considerable gerous suchascrocodiles onichistory animals fishorcatch hippos; theycouldspear of theNile portions modern Egypt's Delta, hurling their ducks andgeesebydeftly Women couldgather sticks. throw area, conpopulated most densely or foradornment andpapyrus Other flowers andmarshes. sisted of swamps birds. thecaptured pock- helphandle asoccasional occurred wetlands the art,andliterature, In religion, theNileandin south along etsfarther the desert even more than marshlands, as known formation thegeological with cameto be endowed times andsteppe, Inancient depression. theFayum Lovers of a paradise. thecharacter intothe atFayum drained thelake to those amorous pursuits their been considerably likened have Nileandmust a thickets, in papyrus of birdcatchers than it istoday. larger andlesssalty in a New Kingdom grew inthese themeexpressed marsh vegetation Typical Egyptian lovesong: areas. Thefamous waterlogged head, than a man's grew higher papyrus andswoops, Thewildgoosesoars fora environment anideal providing It alights on thenet; (both indigenous of birds multitude swarm about, Manybirds aquatic mammals. and andmigratory) I haveworkto do. of fish wasalso anabundance There I amheldfastbymylove, aquatic lifein theNileitandother yourheart, meets Alone,myheart aswell canals, selfandintheirrigation I'llnotpart! From yourbeauty of boththe waters asinthesalt rituals godsandtheking In temple andtheRedSea. Mediterranean the role of marshland tomb inscription wereseenin AnOldKingdom of evil theforces hunters defeating as in themarsh thehunt describes embodied in thehippo,asexpressed on Paddling of theheart." a "delight textsuchasthese thepapyrus in linesof ritual boats through light reed concerning thegod Horus: wasfor fishing andfowling, thickets, way to desirable a most theEgyptians I havecastmyharpoon A happy day! of andbeauty therichness experience lustily! prove mencould creation. Here divine 24

themashave day! Myhands A happy head! hippo's] tery ofhis[the of the cast atthecows I have ofeight inwater hippopotami cubits ... hand, myright hurled with I have withmyleft, I swung does. fen-man Asa bold theskygodof As a child,Horus, to havebeen wasbelieved kingship, his where in the marshes, raised theevil Isis,hidhimagainst mother, father, Seth,whohadkilledHorus's andmythsexplain Suchrituals Osiris. of thehuntin themarshes whyimages themesof tombreliefs werefavorite pharaonic throughout andpaintings served suchscenes In essence history. to of nature forthepower assymbols a cyclein itselfconstantly, renew to parwished whicheachEgyptian of marsh viewers Present-day ticipate. Egyptian artshould in ancient scenes thattheydo not seenaturalisrealize butidealized depictions tic landscape through theirkeen However, images. detail, Egyptian senseforrealistic muchof managed tO capture artists andfauna flora beautiful thecountry's mythical landscapes. in the

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23. Otter
Ptolemaic Period, 304-30 B.C. Bronze; h. I73/8 in. (44 cm). Giftof LilyS. Place, I9 23 (23 .6.2)

OldKingdom artists depicted the ottercatching fishin thepapyrus thicket. During theLatePeriod and Ptolemaic timesotters in bronze statuettes suchasthisonewererepresented standing, forepaws raised, atop smallbronze boxes. As in thecaseof baboons, theraised pawsof theotter is a poseof adoration before thesun godwhenhe rises in themorning. Thegreat hymnto Atenbeautifully expresses thisdailyoccasion forprayer anc breJolclng:
* *

Earth brightens whenyoudawnin lightland WhenyoushineasAtenof daytime; Asyoudispel thedark, Asyoucastyourrays, TheTwoLands arein festivity. Awake theystand on theirfeet, Youhaveroused them; Bodies cleansed, clothed, Theirarms adore yourappearance.

In mythotters wereattached to the goddess of Lower Egypt, Wadjet, whose cultwascentered in Buto,in thenorthern Delta.Theanimal may have beencommon on theshores of nearby Lake Burullus.

richwithplantand scenes, marshland waspartof birdlife.Ourfragment ofAmenhotep I8, reign Dynasty Malqata, withblue, fromroomE.Themarshthisborder III,ca.I390-I353 B.C. Stucco (upper- landhunter pigments andbrown yellow, green, in thispaintwasomitted head, topof ducEs including mostedge, thattheking ing;it wasenough x 42.scm). 20/2 X I6X4 in. (S2 restored); the across wasableto stride himself I920 (20.2.2) Fund, Rogers of themarshland asmaster pavement paradise. of the Malqata In thisfragment On thewestbankof theNile oppois seenamong a duck KingAmenhotep floorpainting, siteThebes(Luxor), marsh of an unidentified in a vast thebranches Tiyeresided IIIandQueen stemsof papyrus. arching nearthepresent- plantbeside in thedesert, palace in breed Manytypesof waterfowl The floor Malqata. called dayvillage and Africa Asia,andnorthern hall" in thispalace Europe, "audience of a large Thisoneis sketched in Egypt. winter andon it withstucco, wascovered its head,body,andlegs in profile, pool a large painted artists Egyptian lines andred.Black in black outlined andswimming withfish,plants, definethe thicknesses of varying the surrounding At theborders birds. the on its neckandflanks; feathering colored brightly poolwerepainted 26 Fragment 24. StuccoPavement

linesgivethebirda fullness curving by thepecuenhanced thatis further of blueand distribution patchy liar thiscombinaThrough paint. ocher andpainting, tionof draftsmanship of theessence hascaptured theartist gracefully its headpulled theduck: backfromthefullcrop,its heavy on walking in motion, bodyis caught ducEs with the legs spaced widely gait. awkward typically apparstudyit becomes On closer birdcouldnever entthattheheavy andbranches leaves reston theflimsy it. plantthatsurrounds of themarsh andneighboring Boththeshrub withbold entirely created papyrus, seemto of thepaintbrush, strokes forthebird. onlyasbackground serve

2s. Fragment froma Temple Relief


Deirel-Bahri, Dynasty II, latereign of Mentuhotep II, ca. 2040-20I0 B.C. Painted limestone; IS X I3 in. (38 X 33 cm). Giftof EgyptExploration Fund,I906 (06.I23I.I)

The birds on thisfragment arecaught in a clapnet setby thefowlers of King Mentuhotep II.Themeshof thenet appears in yellow-white paintagainst thebirds' bodies. Someof theentrapped waterfowl sit quietly, perhaps notyetrealizing theirplight, while others flyup,attempting to escape. Theleftuppermost birdcouldbe a European coot.The otherbirds could

be curlews andgullsorshovelers. Many suchwaterfowl arecommon winter guests in Egypt, although theybreed in Europe, Asia,andother parts of northern Africa. In nature shovelers havegreenish necks andare otherwise white,black, andblue-gray. Cootsareblack, andcurlews aremostly brownish. Gullscanbe a number of colors, from whiteto brown to gray, depending on thespecies. Thebrown andyellow paintin theMentuhotep relief wasmostprobably added during a restoration of thetemple in Dynasty I9. Theoriginal paintmay wellhavebeencloser to thebirds' real

colors. Thebackground wasoriginally bluewater. Thefragment camefromoneof themanyreliefs thatoncedecorated thecolumned porticoes andhallsof Mentuhotep II'smortuary temple. Thiskingreunited Egypt after the period of disunity called the First Intermediate Period. Histemple's innovative terrace architecture influencedEgyptian architecture forcenturies to come,whilethevastwall reliefs reflected thein-depth studies of Old Kingdom reliefs madebythe king's artists.

27

26. Cosmetic Containers in the Shape of Mallards


Dynasty I8, ca.I400-I300 B .C. Tinted ivory; h. 3%6 in. (9 cm);3X4 in. (9-5 cm). Rogers Fund, I940 (40.2.2, .3)

27. Perfume Vessel in the Shape of TwoTrussed Ducks


Middle Kingdom, probably lateDynasty I2I3, ca.I800-I65O B.C. Anhydrite; h. 6X4 in. (I7 cm). Giftof Edward S. Harkness, I927
(27.9 .I)

Thesedelicate ivoryboxesarein the sacrltlclal suDmlsslon. shape of mallards, Anas platryrhynchos,Skilled craftsmen, probably working thathavebeenprepared asofferings, somewhere in Middle Egypt, used semitranslucent Anhydrite is a rare, orfaintly blue,and stone,lightmauve withthefeathers plucked fromtheir anhydrite to sculpt vessels forcosbythewayit takes a is characterized wingsandbodies. Onlythebirds' ele- meticingredients. Of thosethatsurMiddle Kinghighpolish. In theearly vive,theMuseum's trussed-duck gantheads andgracefully curving necksretain theblack feathering and vessel is undoubtedly themostbeauquarrymen discovered a domEgyptian in themountains areprepared to source of anhydrite whiteneckringtypical of thisspecies. tiful.The twoducks Egyptian desert, which of theeastern The artist hascarefully carved webbed be offered to a deityin a waysimilar forthestone thesource to theivory mallards (no.26),buthere wasprobably feeton theunderside of eachconusedhere. tainer. Someof thewaterfowl caught theartist hasusedthetwobodies in netswerekeptin enclosures and mostingeniously to forma single lenticular flask, translating thejoints of fattened, although no duckspecies thebird's legsintofourlittleknuckles wastotally domesticated in ancient forthevessel to standon.The necks Egypt.
*o * 1 1 * >

to support of thebirds, too slender arearched overto theirheavy heads, Witha rare touchof formhandles. hasmadethe sentiment, theartist birds' necks seemto givewayto the between themin neckof thevessel a gesture of whatcanonlybe called

28

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29. Hieroglyphic Sign Showing an Ibis Magna), (Hermopolis El-Ashmunein 304-30 B.C. Polychrome Period, Ptolemaic cm). Purchase, h. 6X8 in. (IS*S faience; Gift,I926 (26.7.992) S. Harkness Edward
This exquisite relief inlay shows a sacred ibis, Threskiornis aethiopica, walking atop the crossbar of a standard that identifies it as a deity. Its beak is supported by a feather, signifying supreme order (maat). The ibis was associated with Thoth, the god of wisdom, whose primary sanctuary was located in Hermopolis Magna, Middle Egypt, where the inlay was found. It was one of several that belonged to elaborate wooden shrines erected to

Thisexample of deities. housestatues It repinscription. waspartof a large signthatcould a hieroglyphic resents be usedat theendof thewordhb or to writethe for"ibis") (Egyptian ("Thoth"). Djehuty name ibis,whichhasnot Thesacred sinceaboutI876, beenseenin Egypt now species thanrelated waslarger Africa. andsouthern livingin central from oncecameto Egypt Hugeflocks in thewetlands to breed Ethiopia Nile flood.The theannual during ibishasa whitebodyanda sacred The inlayuses headandneck. black thewhiteareas to represent green is thecolorof vegetagreen because tionandfertility.

of Thoth 28. Statuette


304-30 B.C. Faience; Period, Ptolemaic S. Edward in. (I4 cm). Purchase, h. SS2 Gift, I926 (26.7.860) Harkness

statuette faience Thisturquoise-colored of theskillwith example is a beautiful anicombined artists whichEgyptian to create bodies andhuman malheads in thiscase creatures, convincing totally god,Thoth. theibis-headed

30

blythetitular kingof Upper Egypt, Painedjem I, who, ashighpriest of Amun,hadbeenresponsible forthe reburial of several royal mummies. On Nany's papyrus, whichwasfound rolled up at thesideof hermummy, theheron appears flanked byhername andwitha group of solar deities.
3I.

Museum in thearmlets of Queen Hetepheres, mother of King Khufu (ca.255I-2528 B.C.). Theamuletic meaning of these insects is not known.

Butterflies

Lisht,northern cemetery, Dynasty I2-I3, ca. I970-I640 B.C. Faience. Left:1.Y6in. (I-S cm). Rogers FundandEdward S. Harkness Gift,I922 (zZ.I.I394). Upper right:1.1M6 in. (I.8 cm). Rogers Fund,I9Is (IS.3.sI3). Bottom: 1.I)l6 in. (2.4 cm). Rogers Fund,I9IS(IS3 SI2) 30. Heron Western Thebes,tomb6s (burial of Nany), Dynasty 2I, reign of Psusennes I, I040992 B.C. Drawing on papyrus; h. of papyrus (overall) I4%8 in. (37 cm). Rogers Fund,I930
(30.3.32)

In Egypt herons areyear-round residentsin theNile Deltaandalongthe RedSeacoastandannual winter guests in thewholecountry. The birds migrate fromEurope, Asia,and otherparts of Africa. Judging bythe frequency withwhichthesemagnificentbirds, withtheirornamental crests, aredepicted, Egyptians must havelovedthem.It is not surprising, therefore, to findoneamong thecreaturesdepicted on a funerary papyrus suchasthis,foundbytheMuseum's excavators in Thebes in thespring of I929. The ancient Egyptians believed thattheirkingascended to heaven in theformof thecrested bird,and artists alsooftendepicted thelegendary phoenix asa heron. In everydaylifetheseavian experts in fishing wereusedbyfowlers asdecoys to lure otherbirds intothenets. Thepapyrus belonged to theking's daughter Nany, thechantress ofAmun, at herdeathanelderly woman of considerable girth.Herfather wasproba-

Butterflies areamong themost charming of thesmall winged creatures depicted in Egyptian marsh scenes. Theseamulets typify the Egyptian artists' approach to butterfly representations. The artists almost invariably choseto showthemfrom above, thecolorful wingsspread open. Butterflies werefrequently usedto decorate jewelry in ancient Egypt. Among themostbeautifill examples arethedetailed inlays in theCairo

32.

Dragonflies andDamselflies

Lisht,northern cemetery, Dynasty I2-I3, ca. I970-I640 B.C. Faience. Upperleft (pierced transversely underwings): 1.4 in. (I.9 cm). Rogers FundandEdward S. Harkness Gift,I922 (22.I.285). Right (pierced transversely underwings): . 4 in. (I.9 cm). Rogers Fund,I9IS (Is.3.sI9). Bottom(pierced vertically): 1.1M6 in. (I.8 cm). Rogers Fund,I9IS
(IS-3 * SI4)

Although representations of fourwinged insects in marsh scenes and amulets havebeenidentified as bothdragonflies andgrasshoppers in flight,thefirstinterpretation is more convincing. Dragonflies anddamselflies feedon themuch-dreaded mosquito andits larvae, a service the ancient Egyptians musthaveappreciated. Thismayaccount in part fortheir appeal asamulets. Thefinestamulets clearly define theinsect's fourwings, asdo twoof these.
31

33. Crocodile
A.D. s.c.-early IStcentury LateIStcentury 1.42/2 in. (I08 cm). (tailmissing); Granite Aronson andAudrey The Bernard Purchase, of her TrustGift,in memory Charitable I992 Bernard Aronson, husband, beloved (I992.I3)

Crocodylus crocodile, Thisgranite late in a relatively sculpted niloticus, art, is a fineblend of Egyptian period stylizaandexpressive of naturalism andfed onceswam tion.Crocodiles in onitsbanks andbasked in theriver

likethe buttoday, numbers, great from hippo,theyhavedisappeared whilein the northof Aswan, Egypt seem to be they Lake Nasser new theancient Although again. thriving whimsically somewhat Egyptians face," "wrinkle thecrocodile called werethe doubtthesereptiles without of their creatures mostdangerous threat to the anda constant country Traveling peopleandtheirlivestock. thewaterways by boat,crossing put in theriver or bathing withherds, thelivesof men,women,andanimals

adversary, at risk.Beingsucha strong played not surprisingly thecrocodile maglc. roe ln egyptlan a promlnent storytells Middle Kingdom An early a small whoformed of a magician it intothe of waxandthrew crocodile wastransformed water. Thewaxfigure whichdevoured reptile, intoa lifesize adulterous theloverof themagician's to thecrocowife.Thedeityrelated whowasvendilewasthegodSobek, region. in theFayum erated primarily

32

F ,

is.

34 Hippo
B.C. ca. I900-I650 MiddleKingdom, 1.of base,33X6 in. (8 cm). Aragonite; Fund,I920 (20.2.25) Rogers

3S Hippo
Dynareaof causeways, Deirel-Bahri, on astyI8, ca. I473-I425 B.C. Painting x 4 in. (I2 X stone41M6 limestone; Fund,I923 (23.3.6) I0.5 cm). Rogers

Hippopotamus Thehippopotamus, musthavebeenverycomamphibius, peritheearlier during monin Egypt

and pursuits hunting ods,butman's on the encroachment ever-increasing graduenvironment wetland hippo's of these thenumber allyreduced Thelastwildhipbeasts. magnificent in the first poswereseenin Egypt century. halfof thenineteenth well were Egyptians Theancient of strength of thephenomenal aware capwhichartists thehippopotamus, thehugeunsegbyemphasizing tured from asin thisfigure body, mented of Boldstrokes Kingdom. theMiddle paint andblack brown applied thickly

redon thebellyand anda dangerous effectin the a similar eyeachieve I8. The fromDynasty sketch artist's thatcould byananimal aweinspired overnight fields a farmer's devastate belief bytheEgyptians' wastempered Asa power. revitalizing in theanimal's mud,the fromthefertile creature guarpowers divine hippoembodied recognize might One rebirth. anteeing of thebeast aspect thisbenevolent facesof manyhippo in thefriendly figures.

' *v.S ' !.

t-., sW''. s.w

33

36. Turtle DynastyI2, ca. I99I-I783 B.C. Rockcrystal redjasper, turquoise, inlaidwith amethyst, cm). Purchase, IlA6 in. (4.7 1. andlapislazuli; Gift,I926 (26 7tI359) S. Harkness Edward

New M. Davis,I9IS (30.8.86I). Frog: B.C. Faience ca. ISSO-IO79/69 Kingdom, 1./16 in. (I.I cm). Giftof Helen (pierced); MillerGould,I9I0 (IO.I30.I9I8)

theAfrican Egyptians, Totheancient like Trionyx triunguis, turtle, water have seemed may other animals, many an Being character. a dual to possess deep, theturtle of theshadowy animal andthus danger cosmic embodied butitspower annihilated, wasritually to theadtowork alsobemade could offevil. bywarding of people vantage amupotent turtles made Thispower (at shown here which are of lets,three wideThelarge, andopposite). right served turtle (opposite) alabaster eyed dish, protectfora cosmetic asa cover etlc ln a slmlaramu lngt zecontents function.
* * * * 2

37. Frogs andToads Backrowfromleft tO right:Frogon a lotus pad:DynastyI8, ca. I55O-I300 B.C. Bronze h. I3M6 in. (2 cm). Rogers a weight); (possibly 26Dynasty Fund,I970 (I970.I97). Toad(?): sus(horizontal B.C. Lapis lazuli 29, 664-380 piercefrombelow, tubeandvertical pension peg[?])i h. I in. (2.s cm). to accommodate OgdenMills,I904 (o4.2.378). Giftof Darius

aswellasin thealluIn themarshes, flood viallandwhentheannual of thousands hadreceded, waters theirdeep-throated appeared, frogs fillingthenightair,asthey chorus of to do todayon thebanks continue assoEgyptians theNile.The ancient of amphibians thesemusical ciated birth, mudwithcreation, thefertile in the B.C. Chlorite Amulets 664-380 26-29, andregeneration. Frog: Dynasty h. I3M6 in. (2 cm). Gift horizontally); (pierced suchas andtoads, of frogs image of HelenMillerGould,I9I0 (IO.I30.I928). "Iamtheresurwerepopular. these, Dynasty26-29, 664-380 B.C. Toad(?): on the canbe foundwritten rection" h. IM6 in. horizontally); Faience (pierced even of suchfrogfigures underside Gould,I9I0 (I.8 cm). Gift of HelenMiller times. Christian fromearly (IO.I30.I92I) it figures In thesmallamuletic distinguish easy to not always is Dynasty I9, Frontrow,left tO right:Frog: frog,Rana (pierced theEgyptian between ca. I295-II86 B.C. Redporphyry in. (2 cm). Purchase, 1.IS6 horizontally); toad,Bufo and the mascareniensis, Gift,I926 (26.7.II43). S. Harkness Edward whichhasa or B. viridis, regularis ca. ISSNew Kingdom, Treefrog(?): skinon its faceandknobby shorter (smallloop in front); B.C. Faience I079/69 The treefrog,Hylasavignyi, back. S. Edward 1.Y6in. (IS cm). Purchase, in oneof the represented possibly Frog: Gift,I926 (26.7.I028). Harkness in row, is rare the front in amulets B.C. DynastyI9-20, ca. I295-I079/69 Egypt. lotusand horizontally; (pierced Serpentinite
1.Y6in. (I Scm).Theodore birdon base); of Theodore Bequest M. DavisCollection,

W: L pF

34

Thisremarkable pieceepitomizes Egyptian beliefs abouttheuniverse andthesymbolic roleof certain aniLate t)ynasty I2-I3, ca.I850-I650 B.C. lionssymbolize Glazed steatite; 1.II in. (28 cm).Purchase, mals.Outward-facing Edward S. Harkness Gift,I926 thetwomounds of theEgyptian (26.7.I27S) horizon between whichthesunrises in its dailyrenewed actof creation. According to Egyptian beliefs the Thiscomplex object consists of a andhelpers in the tripartite stafflike baseandsevenindi- sunhasenemies struggle against thenightly chaos. vidual figures of animals. Thesegoftenappears asan enemy ments of thebase arehollow; originally Theturtle butheremayrepresent there-creative theywereprobably joinedbypegs. powers of thedeep, whilefelines, crocThe beautifully crafted littleanimals odiles, andfrogortoaddeities are areattached bymeans of pinsthat known helpers of the sun. Baboons fitholeson theundersides of the tending lamps andbeneficial eyeemanimals andin thebase.Previous publications haveshown thisrod,the blems(wedjat) protect thecorners of theworld. Thefaceof a leopard (not best-preserved example of itskind, withtheanimals facing visible here)is carved at eachendof toward the center. A recent therod. examination, howTherectangular basetakes the ever, revealed thattheoutlines of each animal, clearly preserved on thebase, formof a reedmatwithcross bindings.Suchmatswerecommonly faceoutward. used 38. Toads, Frogs, andotherAnimals on a MagicRod

in ancient Egypt asblankets on which offerings werepresented or asrugson whichkingskneltin prayer. Themat heredefines a consecrated zonein whichthecosmic eventof thesolar triumph overevilis beingmagically enacted. Theobject formed partof a burial asa guarantee of rebirth. It mayhavebeenfoundat Heliopolis, thecenter of Egypt's solar worship.

39. Turtles
Fromleft to right: New Kingdom, ca. I55O-I300 B.C. Carnelian; 1.Ys in. (2.2 cm). Gift of HelenMiller Gould,I9I0 (IO.I30.2397). SecondIntermediate Period, ca. I65O-I55O B.C. Quartz andhematite; 1.1M6 in. (2 cm). Giftof HelenMiller Gould,I9I0 (IO.I30.2398). Dynasty o, ca. 3I00-2900 B.C. Alabaster; 1.2lS6in. (6.8 cm). Purchase, NinaWalker Wainwright andBeatrice AppelGifts,I980
(I980. 3I0)

.k-

r.4$

{ar9,
t 5 . we,

35

40. Fishin a Canal


II, of Ramesses I9, reign Dynasty El-Qantir, of polychrome ca.I279-I2I3 B.C. Detail tile;h. 7X8 in. (20 cm).Purchase, faience Gift, S. Harkness Fund, Edward Rogers I93S (35.I.IO4) I922, I929, andbyexchange,

of decoThistileis oneof a group elements thought architectural rative II'sprivate Ramesses to haveadorned Delta in his eastern apartments Piramesse. residence,
4I.

thepopcaused WhiletheEgyptians to creatures of somewater ulations andencroaching byhunting diminish otherspecies on theirenvironments, canals and in man-made flourished In thescenededitches. irrigation pictedon thistile,whatcouldbe an famfish(Mormyridve elephant-snout in a thelotuses ily)swimsbetween plants. byotherwater canalbordered thebottom livenear Fishof thisfamily waterways slow-moving of muddy, andwouldhavebeenrightat homein Egyptian In typical canal. an ancient combines therepresentation manner, its two a planof thecanalbetween viewsof theplants andprofile banks andfish.

Shells Mollusk

cemetery, Left:Cowrie.Lisht,northern neartombendosure758,DynastyI2-I3, cm). B.C. Gold;1. in. (I-S ca. I990-I65O Right: Rogers Fund,I909 (O9.I80.I200). Bivalve shell.LishtNorth,tomb754, late B.C. Gold;1.I in. Dynasty I2, ca. I85O-I800 Fund,I907 (07.227.I8) cm). Rogers (2vS
%8

moltimes,actual Sinceprehistoric as wereusedbyEgyptians luskshells andwerefashof adornment objects and containers ionedintocosmetic were Shellforms palettes. painters' and silver. in gold alsoreproduced wasespecially Thistypeof jewelry KingtheMiddle during prevalent shownhere dom,whenthetwoshells oneis a cowThe smaller weremade. is an unidenrieshell,whilethelarger to Cowries arethought tifiedbivalve. andwere symbols havebeenfertility (butsee girdles oftenpartof women's areused heads leopard no. I6, where bivalves whereas of cowries), instead either asa werewornbybothsexes, or on a chainor thread singlependant to forma withothershells strung necklace.

_r

_w

36

- ,l hofER

Dish in the Shape of a Bolti (Fish)


42.

Dynasty I8, reign of Tuthmosis III, ca. I479-I425 B.C. Glazed steatite; 1.7S8 in. (I8.I cm). Giftof James Douglas,I890
(90.6.24)

Fish of thegenusTilapiv (bolti in Egypt today) is themostcommon fish of Egypt, easily recognized byits long dorsal fin. Itsmanner of reproduction,

hatching itseggsin its mouth, was metic substances. Thepieceis too interpreted bytheancient Egyptians large, as however, a of spontaneous to have kind beenusedas generation. an ordinary In cosmetic Egyptian art,the Tibpivthussympalette andwas probably made fortemple bolized therenewal use forexof life.Thefish ample, to anoint was a cultstatue orfor also thought to be a companion a royal burial. of the The sungod. cartouche ofTuthmosis III below This the lateral finsuggests fish-shaped dishhasthekind that the dish of was a shallow gift to or depression fromthis on its reverse pharaoh. (below) thatwasgenerally usedforthe preparation andpresentation of cos-

37

The

Alluvial

Land

the asnow, times, ancient ontheNilefor relied Egyptians The necessities. of life's most supa continuous provided river rain. It of little in a land plyofwater sedinutrient-rich alsodeposited for each year itslength along ments on was here, It ofyears. thousands thattheEgyptians land, thealluvial and livestock; raised crops; planted andcities. villages, houses, their built of theAswan Until theerection withthefamous culminating dams, in theI960S, the HighDambuilt was landscape of thealluvial nature bytheannual determined primarily originated Thefloods inundation. andsouthhighlands in theEthiopian monwiththesummer ernSudan started in Egypt theriver inJuly soons; waters andtheflood quickly, to rise from land most of thealluvial covered By to lateSeptember. mid-August the when andNovember, October be could crops hadreceded, waters to January from forharvesting sown of a system irrigation, Basin April. fields, enclosing anddams canals and theavailability producincreased tortarmlng. orwater tlvlty In
. . r r r r

of pharasociety In the agricultural famine, a lowfloodmeant onicEgypt thedanbrought andtoo muchwater withthefields gerof overflooding, theplanting too wetto workduring floodwasgreeted A "perfect" season. [are] joy."Themeadows withgreat are banks whentheriver laughing saysa textin oneof the Old flooded," anda chambers, pyramid Kingdom hymnto theNile god (Hapy) popular himastheone praises

in the andthere andhere margins anddecidevergreen supported Delta were that shrubs trees and uous andthe byrains sporadically watered ground of high "islands" These river. settlements. ideal forhuman were ofhuman of theamount Because lifeonthe oftheanimal much activity, but wasdomesticated, land alluvial mamsmall especially wildcreatures, andinsects, birds, amphibians, mals, with happily to coexist room found anidomesticated andtheir humans thatRehas Whofloodsthefields of thealluvial Thewildanimals mals. made in the anddens their nests made land ... allwhothirst Tonourish lineand thehigh-water above areas he comesforth timely, Lawful, forfoodin thefloodplain, foraged SouthandNorth, Egypt, Filling thedesert. andoccasionally marshes, alleyesareon him, As onedrinks, theenmovements, of these Because overflow. hisbounty Whomakes described animals of some vironments land to thealluvial asbelonging here agritimes,however, In pharaonic or the marsh of with those overlapped considerably were activities cultural true Thisis especially steppe-desert. thantheyaretoday. lessextensive Egyptians The insects. and forbirds landwere of the alluvial Large tracts their tending whether usedonlyforseasonal themselves, leftunplowed, followed their fields, orworking herds of region In thesouthern grazing. moving andfallof theriver, Middle therise theearly during Egypt Middle the during to highareas animals woodtheir wassufficient there Kingdom, thelow outover andspreading forshipbuild- flood timber landto provide of theyear. therest during ground at thedesert ing.Thehighground

38

of shrew, Crociduraflavescensdeltae isoften depicted inthepapyrus thicket andC.nana, butit isdiffilcult todeter- pursuing birds. Theanimal's true habimine which isrepresented inthis small tats, however, are shrubby terrain, bronze figure. rocky hills, andtheopen areas atthe edges of Egypt's cultivated land. "The voracious" wastheancient Ichneumon killsnakes andmice and Egyptians' name fortheshrew, an are sometimes tamed and kept for 44. Ichneumon epithet that aptly describes thefeedthispurpose. Thisbronze ichneumon Ptolemaic Period, 304-30 B.C. Bronze inghabits of thistinyanimal. In strides between tWO small seated cats, (inscribed on base:"Wadjet givinglife to ancient Egyptian popular mythology Pedineith, suggestlng a rellglous connectlon son of Isemkhebi"); 1.41/6 in. theshrew wasclosely associated with todeities residing inthe"cat city," (I2 cm). Gift of Darius OgdenMills,I904 theichneumon. Theshrew repreBubastis. The goddess of Bubastis, (o4O2-6S4) sented theblind aspect of a solar deity Bastet, wassometimes identified with whose complement, endowed with Like theAfrican wildcat andthe Wadjet, goddess of Lower Egypt, to keen eyesight, wasunderstood to be genet, theEgyptian mongoose, Hewpes- whom theinscription onthebase of theichneumon. Egypt hastwospecies tesichneumon, also called pharaohXs rat, theichneumon figure is addressed. 43. Shrew
Ptolemaic Period, 304-30 B.C. Bronze; 1.3S8 in. (8 cm). Giftof DariusOgden Mills,I904 (o4.2.465)
. . . .

/jj

4Se

Cat

Saqqara, Ptolemaic Period, 304-30 B.C. Bronze (hollow, castin two parts); h. II in. (28cm). Harris Brisbane Dick Fund,I956
(56.I6.I)

Theearliest Egyptian catswere wild predators thatroamed thesteppes and marshes (no.I7). In therefined urban culture of theNewKingdom catsbecameincreasingly attached to humans, whoprobably firstappreciated their mouse-hunting skills butsooncame to enjoythesecreatures aspleasant companions around thehouse.Egyptian housecatswereconsiderably larger thanmodern domesticated cats, which zoologists believe originated in the ancient NearEast. Of thesethree catfigures, thetwo fromtheLatePeriod convey thecat's companionable, attractive personality. Thelarge dignified Ptolemaic figurea masterpiece of bronze casting- once served asa container fora catmummy. Burials of mummified catswerepart of rituals performed in honorof the goddess Bastet. Allthree animals are characterized assacred by thejewelry incised orcarved around theirnecks. Thelarge bronze catandthesmall faience onewear elaborate collars with pendants in theshape of a beneficial eyeemblem, wedjat, whilethesmall bronze cat'swedjat pendant hangs froma simple chain. Thelarge cat's rightearis pierced to holda gold ring,nowlost.

46.

Cat

LatePeriod, Dynasty26-29, 664-380 B.C. Bronze (solidcast);1.Il3M6 in. (4.7 cm). Gift of J. Lionberger Davis,I966 (66.I23.2)

47

Cat

LatePeriod, Dynasty26-29, 664-380 B.C. Faience; h. IM6 in. (2.3 cm). Bequest of Mary AnnaPalmer Draper, I9IS (I5.43.26)
41

48. Cobra Heads


Left: Late Dynasty I8, ca.I400-I300 B.C. Faience; 1.4g4 in. (I0.8 cm).Giftof Helen Miller Gould, I9I0 (IO.I30.2S84). Right: Thebes, Valley of theKings, tombof Amenhotep III,Dynasty I8, ca.I3S3 B.C. Faience; 1.2S6 in. (S 3 cm).Purchase, Edward S. Harkness Gift,I926 (26.7.II22)

In thetombof Tutankhamun a gilded woodenshrine shielded thecanopic chestcontaining theking's organs. The

shrine stoodunder a protective canopy,alsoof gilded wood,guarded by fourfigures of goddesses. Bothcanopy andshrine weresurmounted bycavettocornices decorated withcontinuous friezes of cobra figures. Thecobras were of gilded woodinlaid withrichly colored glass andfaience. Soliddark bluesnake heads werefastened to the tongue-shaped upper endsof thecobra bodies(seedrawing below). The monument struck Howard Carter,

excavator of Tutankhamun's tomb,as "solovelythatit madeonegaspwith wonder andadmiration." These twocobra heads of shiny blue faience wereoriginally partof similar tombfurniture. Thesmaller of thetwo heads wasfoundin thetombof Tutankhamun's ancestor Amenhotep III. It indicates thatAmenhotep's burial onceboasted an equally stunning monument.

Detailfroma cobra frieze crowning the canopic shrine of KingTutankhamun (ca.I327 B.C.). Drawing by Barry Girsh

42

49. Cobra on PharaohXs Forehead


Deirel-Bahri, temple of Mentuhotep II, Dynasty II, late reign of Mentuhotep II, ca.2040-20I0 B.C. Painted limestone; stone h. 9%2 in. (24 cm).Giftof Egypt Exploration Fund, I906 (06.I23I.37)

Cobras, thebestknownof Egypt's manysnakes, arealsoamong themost impressive. Theirraised threat posture andthewaysomeof thespecies spit venomarethoroughly intimidating. Theancient Egyptians wereso fascinated bythesebehaviors thatthey adopted thecobra asa mythical snake. The uraeus, asit wascalled in Greek, saton theforeheads of pharaohs and guarded theroofsof holyshrines with
. . . .

awe-lnsplrlng

aggresslveness.

Thisfragment fromthemortuary temple of KingMentuhotep II shows theuraeus above thepharaoWs foreheadtwisting itsbodyaround the diadem asif it wereliving. Although onlyoneEgyptian cobra species, Naja nigricollis, rather thanthemorecommonN. haje, actually spits,boththis behavior andthethreat posture were ascribed to themythical uraeus. A Middle Kingdom taleconveys theterror Egyptians feltwhenconfronted bydangerous snakes. According to the story, a sailor wasstranded on a deserted island. Aftereating his fillof fishandvegetables, which were plentiful there, he made anoffering of thanks to thegodsforhissurvival. Justthen,ashe narrates, he heard a "thundering noiseandthought, 'Itis thesea.' Trees splintered, theground trembled. Uncovering myface,I found it wasa snake thatwascoming. He wasof thirty cubits[about S feet]; hisbeard wasovertwocubits[3M2 feet] long.His bodywasoverlaid with gold;hiseyebrows wereof reallapis lazuli. He wasbentup in front.... I wason mybellybefore him." The storyendshappily, however, withthe snake helping thesailor tO get home.

''--

50. Falcon
Probably from Heliopolis, Dynasty 30, reign of Nectanebo II,360-343 B.C. Graywacke (inscribed onthebase withthe king's names); h. 28%8 in. (72 cm).Rogers Fund, I934 (34-2-I)

Theancient Egyptians believed their kingwasan incarnation of thesky god,Horus, whoappeared asa falcon. Oneof themostpotentimages expressing thisbeliefis thisfalcon statue of KingNectanebo II,withits intense facial expression andvicious claws. In theirrepresentations of Horus Egyptian artists depicted a generalized falcon, rather thananyone particular species, eventhough Egypt is hometo several. The Lanner falcon, Falco biarmicus, andtheperegrine, E peregrinus, forexample, stillnest andbreed in thelimestone cliffsat the desert margin andin theruins and pyramids. Thebirds canbe seenrisingon updrafts of hot desert air andperforming amazing aerobatics. Thesculpture follows theLate Period tradition of animal images in hardstone (seeno. 5)withremarkably naturalistic details in headandfeet,

whilethebodyandwings aresimplifiedrenderings of thebird's natural features. The image of a birdand royal figure together canbe read asa rebus forNakhthorheb, theEgyptian form of oneof theking's names: NakAt fromthescimitar thekingholds; hor, thebird; andheb(thefeast), thesign in theking's righthand. SI. Swallow
Ptolemaic Period, 304-30 B.C. Limestone; h. 31/G in. (9.4 cm). Rogers Fund,I907 (07.228.g)

Thevoiceof theswallow is speaking. It says: Daybreaks, whatis yourpath? [Thegirlanswers:] Don't, littlebird! Areyouscolding me? I foundmylover on hisbed, Andmyheart wassweet to excess.

Thelinear oasisalongtheNile thatis Egypt hasalways hada richvariety of smallbirds, including swallows. Migratory swallows fromnorthern climes passthrough Egypt during thespring andfall,whereas otherspecies are year-round residents. Theswallow's migratory habits werecarefully observed by theancient Egyptians andinterpreted asa signof regeneration.In anancient lovepoemthe swallow, whoheralds themorning, is encountered bya youngwoman returning froma tryst withherlover:

In Egyptian arttheindividual members of theswallow family were not differentiated. Thislimestone relief presents a truly lovable image of thebird,standing on well-articulated legswithanexpression thatis both comical anddignified. Thepiecebelongsto a group of reliefs andsculptures thathaveoftenbeenidentified assculptors' models because many of theminclude gridlinesandother traces of theartist's technique. The raised angle platein theupper left corner, forexample, mightbe an item of thiskind. In recent times,however, most scholars prefer to interpret theseobjectsasex-votos, orvotive objects, and in thiscase,theimage of theswallow mighthavebeendedicated to thesun godorthegoddess Isis.Thebirdis closely connected withbothdeities. 45

52.

andCobra Vulture

Period, 304-30 B.C. LimePtolemaic cm). Giftof h. 6Ys in. (I7vS stonerelief; Morgan, I9II (II.Ii5.I2) J. Pierpont

Egypt's thevulture, Likethefalcon, largest bird,liveshighin thelimeoverthedesert stonecliffsandsoars of food. landin search andalluvial boththegrifartists depicted Ancient and,lessoften, Gypsfillaus, finvulture, trv, Aegypius et-faced vulture the lapp of Mut,godasincarnations cheliotus, of Amun,and dessandconsort crown goddess of theroyal Nekhbet, head Egypt. Thevulture's of Upper forthe asinspiration andwingsserved queens, and of Egyptian headdress birdadorned images of themajestic andpalaces. of temples theceilings asa griff^ln Nekhbet In thisrelief figure of Upper vulture is theheraldic whichrepthecobra, Egypt, leading and Thevulture Egypt. resents Lower to standon bothappear theserpent 46

not be baskets, butthisshould wicker arehieroThe baskets takenliterally. and or "lady," signsfor"lord" glyphic the identifies thewholeconfiguration ladies." the"two as neby, twocreatures arethetitular in question The ladies Egypt, andLower of Upper goddesses phaarepartof every whosenames example name. Thisis another raolfs plaques thatserved relief of Ptolemaic models orasvotives assculptors' either is alsocarved (seeno. SI). Thisplaque

of a where theimage on thereverse, falcon appears.

53 Hoopoe
on B.C. Drawing Dynasty I9, ca.I295-II86 I4S8 in. (36 cm).Gift papyrus; h. of papyrus I93s(35.9.I9) of Edward S. Harkness,

hoopoe,Upupv epops, The Egyptian andbeaufeathering withits colorful in is stillcommon tifulheadcrest, hoopoes Egypt. In theOldKingdom In werecaught to be petsforchildren. drawing thebirdsitsatop thepapyrus plantandis idena stylized papyrus(?) textas "he tifiedin theaccompanying Thisis an is hidden." whosemagic Dynasty if Nineteenth aptdescription reported thepractice Egypt followed of times,whenparts frommuchlater head,and thebird's body theheart, praca rolein magic blood played A.D.). tices(third to eighthcentury

54. Bee LishtSouth,pyramid templeof Senwosret I, DynastyI2, reignof Senwosret I, ca. I97II926 B.C. Detailfroma painted limestone relief; h. of bee 6S4 in. (I6 cm). Rogers Fund,I909 (09.I80.64)

Thisbeautiful carved image of a bee functioned asa hieroglyphic ideogram for"the kingof Lower Egypt." Originally, it waspartof a monumental inscription adorning thepyramid temple of KingSenwosret I. TheEgyptian honeybee,Apismellifica fasciatv,was domesticated in Early Dynastic times, if not before. Beeswereusually kept in terracotta pipesthatserved as beehives, whichwerestacked in rowsone above theother. After driving out the beeswithsmoke, muchasbeekeepers do today, thefarmers removed the honeycombs andextracted thehoney, which,along withdatemash, wasthe malnsweetener ln anclent tlmes. Beeswax wasalsoan important sub. . . .

stance, widely used inadhesives, metal casting, andother processes. 55.Barn Owl
Ptolemaic Period, 304-30 B.C. Limestone relief; h. 4/6 in. (I0.4 cm). Rogers Fund,
I907 (07.228tII)

in thisrelief plaque, is a resident of Egypt.It nestsin trees, buildings, and ruins andhuntsbynight. Thebird's mostcnaracterlstlc teature, ltSlmpressivefacial disk,invariably prompted Egyptian artists to choose a frontal viewwhenrepresenting it. Therelief belongs to thesamegroup of objects astheswallow relief andthevulture andcobra piece(nos.Stand52). As is thecasefortherestof thegroup, its interpretation is stillunder discussion. Isit a votiveobject ora sculptor's model? Asan ex-voto, theimage of an owlmightappropriately havebeen dedicated to a solar deity. Owls,called "keen-sighted hunters," werealso believed to be birds of mourning and death. Asa model,thisrelief demonstrates themostintricate partof the letterm (acomplete owl),andin fact owlsarerarely depicted in Egyptian artexcept asthishieroglyphic sign.
. * * r

Thebarn owl,Tyto vIba,whose head isdepicted withunforgettable clarity

47

56. Fly
B.C. Faience(?); 664-380 26-29, Dynasty Anna of Mary . 7/6 in. (I.2 cm).Bequest (I5.43.47) I9I5 Draper, Palmer

s7 Flies
ca.I783-I550 B.C. I3-I7, Dynasty Left: Edward 1.27/6 in. (6.3 cm).Purchase, Ivory; Gift,I926 (26.7.I285). Right: S. Harkness B.C. Glazed I8, ca.I550-I525 Dynasty Early forQueen on underside (inscribed steatite 1. in. (I.3 cm).Giftof Helen Ahhotep); I9I0 (IO.I30.I68) Gould, Miller
/2

Deity 58. Mosquito


B.C. Green-and664-380 26-29, Dynasty 1.I%6 in. (3 cm).Gift jasper; banded white I9 5 5 (55.I72) Aldred, of Cyril

artists thatEgyptian The flywhisks and of pharaohs in thehands depicted of how arepotentreminders nobles thehostsof flieswerein anirksome Egyptlans, Theanclent clentEgypt. to haveheldfliesin seemed however, of because presumably highesteem, of fastreaction powers thisinsect's presence. insistent andindomitable, I550I8 (ca. in Dynasty Beginning madeof often pendants, fly I295 B.C.), gold,weregivenby thekingasmiliandtheamulets forvalor, taryawards of the shownmaywellbe reminders Theglazed gold"medals." official on theunderflyis inscribed steatite Ahhotep, of Queen sidewiththename Ahmose, and Kamose of kings mother
. . .

theHyksos. defeated whofinally served mayalsohave flyamulets Earlier insects. off theseannoying to ward in these fliesrepresented Theactual if not imposaredifficult, amulets Among byspecies. sible,to identify shownhere,thesteatite theinsects areunmistakably pieces andfaience ivory larger flies,andthesomewhat fly,probato be a stylized pieceseems award of thegolden blya replica jasper Thegreen-and-white pieces. insectlooksmorelikea mosquito this its identity, thana fly.Whatever headand hasa falcon amulet jasper of Upper crown thedouble wears In thisguisetheinEgypt. andLower a deitywithroyal secthasbecome attributes. netsbeing of mosquito Evidence thatmosquitoes suggests usedstrongly in theancient asmucha nuisance were TheGreek astheycanbe today. world in whotraveled Herodotus, writer 445-440B.C., reported in about Egypt netsagainst thatpeopleusedfishing Egypt whilein Upper mosquitoes, (perhaps theyslepton hightowers the roofsof multistory meaning a to support frame An actual houses). overa bed,made finelinennetting thetimeof Herodotus, longbefore equipment theburial with found was of mother of QueenHetepheres, Khufu(ca.255I-2528 B.C.).

48

creature horned sinister Thisrather whichcouldthusbe usedas amulets, the rhinoceros andquiteliterally seemsto represent To be readily seals. I3, Dynasty I2-early Late Dynasty Left: whichis Orystes nascicarnis, beetle, perthese were such as scarabs at hand, steatite (scroll B.C. Glazed ca.I800-I750 1.Y8 in. (2.2 cm). onunderside); motif region. to theMediterranean asbezels native andfitted horizontally forated Gift,I926 S. Harkness Edward Purchase, that sarcophagus Thesmallbronze of goldorotherprecious intorings I9, ca.I295Dynasty Right: (26.7.7I3). mummy, oncehelda beetle it guards metals. inscripsteatite (enigmatic II86 B.C. Glazed of the same thoughnot necessarily 1.t3/l6in. (I.7 cm). tiononunderside); as beetles, In embalming species. Gift,I926 S. Harkness Edward Purchase, the mummification, in all animal 60. Beetle (26.7.352) and Late Period of the Egyptians 304-30 B.C. Bronze; Period, Ptolemaic timesgave andRoman Ptolemaic Scaraof thescarab, The importance Edward S. h. 23/8 in. (6 cm). Purchase, thatall their belief form to tangible Gift,I926 (26.7.855) Harkness re.1baeussacer,ln anclent egyptlan wereincarlarge andsmall, animals, observation on careful gionwasbased texts Religious of thedivine. nations The of its behavior. andinterpretation u v r: fromother andparallels fromEgypt dungto rollsanimal beetle scarab indicate moreover, cultures, African formballsthatareoftenmanytimes asinbe understood could that insects bothfeedsfrom itssize.Thescarab soul," meanan "external corporating theseballsandlayseggsin them.For and of humans ingthoseinnerforces of thedung theimage theEgyptians the of leaving thatarecapable deities hind strong bythescarab's ballmoved text,for body. In an OldKingdom fortherising a metaphor legsbecame thekingwassaidto ascend example, as wasadopted sun,andthebeetle in theformof a grasshopper. to heaven of one of the mostpotentsymbols 59. Scarabs
Z * * TN * .
. ., . #, ^ .

i 5

. 0 ;<;:

resurrectlon.

KingMiddle in theearly Starting the throughout domandcontinuing were images history, restof pharaonic of scarab intotheundersides engraved
49

50

6I.

Stable with Fattened Longhorns

Western Thebes, tomb of Meketra, early Dynasty I2, ca.I990-I980 B.C. Gessoed and painted wood; 1.2852 in. (72.scm).Rogers Fund andEdward S. Harkness Gift,I920
(20.3.9)

Theanclent Egyptlans wereverysuccessful cattlebreeders. In theirsociety andeconomy cattleplayed an importantrole,andnumerous varieties were raised. Somewerelonghorned and longlegged; theygrazed in theopen country in herds comprising many hundreds of animals and,under the careof attentive herdsmen, were moved fromplaceto place according to a seasonal schedule. Others had longhorns andshortlegs;oftencastrated, theywereraised andfattened in stables. Therewerealsovarieties withshorthorns, no horns, orartificially deformed horns, aswellaszebu, anAsiatic ox imported from theLevant during Dynasty I8 (ca.I55O-I295 B.C.). In thisminiature representation of a stable, twocompartments areconnected bya door.In thebackroom, whichin reallifeprobably hada roof, three cattleanda calf(orhornless
* .

cow)arefeeding froma longtrough, whilein theothercompartment, mostlikely anopencourtyard, two cattle arefedfroma heapof fodder. A guard, armed witha spear, sitsbythe entrance to thecourtyard. The black, brown, andspotted cattle arevery sturdily builtandclearly fattened. Thestable wasoneof twenty-two miniatures foundwithtwolarge statuesof womenin a smallchamber cut intotherockin thetombof thechancellor Meketra atThebes (Luxor). Theyhadbeenuntouched sincethe dayof theirburial. "The beam of light shotintoa littleworldof fourthousand years ago," wrote Museum curator Herbert E.Winlock, whodiscovered thiscache in oneof archaeology's most memorable moments.

62. Farmer Plowing


Early Dynasty I2, ca.I990-I900 B.C. Painted wood; 1.I952 in. (49-S cm).Giftof Valdemar Hammer Jr., in memory of his father, I936 (36.S)

whichis pulled by twoveryfriendly looking oxen.Thefarmer's feethave sunkintothemuddy earth, whichis probably stillwaterlogged fromthe annual inundation, buttheanimals seemto be on dryer ground. Toown cattle wasa signof highstanding fora peasant in ancient Egypt; plowoxen usually hadto be rented froma large stateor temple institution. Evenif the oxenwerenot actually ownedbythe plowman, however, an exceptionally strong bondcouldexistbetween man andanimals. A taleof theNewKingdomtellsof a youngmanwhoworked on hisolderbrother's farm andlived so closely withthecattlethathe could understand theirlanguage. When theolderbrother setout to killthe younger, because theelder's wifeasthewifeof Potiphar hadaccused theyounger brother of trying to seduce her,thecattle warned himin timefor himto escape.

Thepeasant trudges behind thetraditionalhook-shaped plowof Egypt,


51

bulls are highly agitated; their tails are tensely curved, they are defecating, Dynasty I9-20, ca.I295-I070 B.C. Painting andthevisible eyeof theattacking onlimestone; stone 7g4 X 49%6 in. (I8.5 X II.5 cm). Rogers Fund, I924 (24.2.27) bullisturned upward. Wildbulls stillroamed themargins Byallowing bullsto fight,Egyptian of theDelta in theNewKingdom, herdsmen coulddetermine whichwas andKing Ramesses III(ca.II84thestronger andconsequently more II53 B.C.) felled some enormous indisuitable forbreeding. Bullsfighting, viduals in a reed thicket, according to therefore, wasa frequent occurrence a depiction onthepylon ofhismortuamong theherds. ForEgyptian artists ary temple atMedinet Habu, Thebes.
63. Fighting Bulls the fights wereinteresting subjects. In thistrialsketch, thedraftsman captured a moment of highdrama. One of thepowerful beasts hasthrown the otherontoits frontlegsto attack its abdomen withpointed horns. Both
64.

Resting Cattle

Thesesmallshort-horned bovines seemto be resting, chewing theircud. Thehollow figures were made byhammering sheets of goldto formtheanimals' bodies, adding thehorns and feet,andfusing thewholeontosmall ovalbases withnotched edges. As twoof sevencelestial cowswhoprovidednourishment forthedeceased in the beyond, thelittleanimals may havebeenpartof a richperson's burial equipment, adorning a pieceof jewelry or anelaborate vessel.

Dynasty26-29, 664-380 B.C. Gold; 1.(each)/2 in. (I.25 cm).Theodore M. Davis Collection, Bequest of Theodore M. Davis,
I9I5 (30.8.405, .406)

52

65. Bllll's Leg Abydos, Dynasty I-2, ca. 2960-2649 B.C. Ivory; h. 6/2 in. (I6.Scm);Rogers Fund,
I906 (06.II62.I)

66. Apis Bllll Dynasty26-29, 664-380 B.C. Ivory(base modern); h. 2X6 in. (6.I cm). Giftof J. Pierpont Morgan, I9I7 (I7.I90.62)

In Early Dynastic Egypt lowbedsand stools,likeotherfurniture of high quality, included ivory parts suchas bulls' legs.Usingananimal's legfor thelegof a pieceof furniture hadreliglOUS slgnltlcance relatlng to thegreat strength andgenerative power of the animal. Thebullwasalsoa symbol fortheEgyptian king,especially in theEarly Dynastic period, androyal furniture maywellhavebeenthefirst to be fittedoutwithsuchlegs. In making setsof legs,Egyptian artists always distinguished hindand forelegs, oftenalsotherightandleft, andpositioned themon thepieceof furniture accordingly. Asseenhere, thelegshadtenons on top thatfit intothehorizontal frame of thebedor stool.Leather thongs werethreaded through thetwoholesbelow thetenon to secure thelegto theframe. Allfurniture legsin bull's-leg shape terminatedin beaded cylinders thatkept thetender hooves offthe dirtyfloor. ThisleRfrontlegfroma bedor stoolis theworkof a master joiner whowasalsoanaccomplished sculptor.Theanimal's musculature and
. . * n * *

Oneof themostimportant animal deities of ancient Egypt wasthe sacred Apisbull,whoseworship is attested fromDynasty I. Near the Ptahtemple at Memphis, Egypt's old capital, a livingrepresentative of the Apisbullwasstabled. He wasparaded out at testlve occaslons to partlclpate in ceremonies of fertility andregeneration. Thebullthatplayed thisimportant rolewasselected fordisplaying colorpatterns, suchasa whitetriangle on theforehead andblack patches resembling winged birds on thebody. In theivory figure thewhitetriangle is indicated bya sunken area on the head,whileengravings of a vulture withwingsspread anda winged scarab flank anelaborate blanket on theback. WhenApisbullsdied,theywere andburied withallhonors. skinaredelicately differentiated from embalmed Beginning withthereign of King thesmooth hoof,andthetautveins IIIin Dynasty I8, the areexpressive enough to evoke through Amenhotep wasa hugeand thisbodyparttheimage of theentire placeof Apisburials growing underground system of strong, highly tensed animal. Theleg chambers called theSerapeum in the maywellhavebeenpartof a king's Memphite necropolis, Saqqara. The bedorchair because it wasfoundat mothers of Apis bulls had their own Abydos in oneof thetombsof the cultandburial place. firstkingsof Egypt.
r . . ..

67. Donkey Deirel-Bahri, area of causeways, Dynasty I8, ca. I473-I425 B.C. Drawing on limestone; drawing 2X6 X 2%8 in. (6.3 X 6.7 cm). Rogers Fund,I923 (23.3.8)

Sinceat leastthefourth millennium B.C., ever-patient donkeys havecarriedheavy loadsandhelped farmers by treading seedsintotheground and threshing grain. The artist whocreatedthissmallcharacter studyovera proportional gridon a limestone chip hascaptured theexpression of a typicallyobstinate donkey. Around the donkey's neckis a redstriped band. An animal withblack striped fur(acator leopard?) wasdrawn belowthedonkey's headto theright, butthemain portion of thiscreature is nowbroken oS. It appears thatthesketch comes froma larger image illustrating a fable involving anassanda feline. Onesuch story fromthesecond century A.D. tells of a lionwhowantsto findout the nature of man.Amongotheranimals, thelionencounters a horse anddonkeythataretethered to a chariot. The lionasks, "Who didthisto you?" They answer, "Our lord,man,hasdone it.... Thereis nothing morecunning 54

thanman." Wilddonkeys werestill instances of camel boneshavebeen livingin theEgyptian desert during recorded, although somearedoubtful thefirst partof thenineteenth century. asto dateandidentification, and there area fewfigurines andfigure vessels of camels preserved from 68. Headof a Camel pharaonic times.Byandlarge, howThebes,Lower Asasifcemetery area, ever, thecamelremained an oddityin Ptolemaic Period, 304-30 B.C. or later. Egyptian eyes.It wasonlywiththe Terracotta withwhiteslip;h. IlS6in. (Scm). invasion of theAssyrian army in the Rogers Fund,I932(32.3.343) seventh century B.C. thatpeople in the The ancient Egyptians knewabout Nilevalley metthecamel asa domestheexistence of thedromedary (or ticated beast of burden. Ittookanother one-humped) camel,Camelus drome- fourcenturies to introduce thedomesdarius, at leastsinceEarly Dynastic ticated camel to Egypt, where it was tlmes..nvarlous^gyptlan sltesrare destined to become oneof thecountry's mostfamiliar sights. Onlyrecently haveautomobiles andfarm machines begunto supersede theanimal. Thissmallterracotta headis unpretentious butskillfully modeled. It is thelivingimage of a camel, head helddisdainfully upright, theprotruding eyesgazing intothefardistance, whilethesoftmuzzle seems tO be caught in a chewing motion.It mightbe a portrait of oneof the camels of today, whichcanbe seen liftingtheirheads overfarmhouse wallsneartheexact spotwhere this littleterracotta piecewasfoundby theMuseum's excavators in I9IS-I6.
* 9 , . . * 9

horse formed thetop of a comb,its teethnowmostly missing. Thishorse Dynasty I9, possibly reignof Ramesses II, is somewhat nervously feeding froma ca. I279-I2I3 B.C. Ivory; w. I%8 in. (3-5 cm). Purchase, Edward S. Harkness Gift,I926 trough. In thedrawing, a fewmas(26.7.I290) terlybrush linescapture an elegant, well-groomed horse wearing a bridle, 70. Horse rubbing itsleftforeleg playfully with Thebes,tombof Nespekashuty, Dynasty 26, its graceful muzzle. Themotifis 664-6I0 B.C. Drawing on limestone; drawing known froma lateDynasty I8 relief 4 X 3 in. (I0.2 X 7.6 cm). Rogers Fund,I923 fromAmarna. It is possible thatthis (23.3.33) sketch is a copyof a NewKingdom representation thatinterested thispar7I. Horse ticular artist at a time when many Thebes,Dynasty I8, ca. I400 B.C. Tinted OldandNew Kingdom works of art ivory, glass(?) inlayin lefteye;1.SYg in. were copied for reuse in Dynasty 26 (IScm). Purchase, Edward S. Harkness tombs. Gift,I926 (26-7-I293) Thelarger ivory horse, whichonce adorned a whiphandle, is shownin Thehorse is a relative latecomer to the Egyptian menagerie. Theearliest whatscholars calltheflying gallop. Its skeleshiny coatis beautifully rendered with tonfoundin theNilevalley maydate to theseventeenth century B.C. In a lightbrown tint;themane, tail, ancient literature andrelief art,horses muzzle, andlower legs,aswellasa firstappeared in connection withthe stripe on theback, arein dark brown. expulsion of theAsiatic rulers, the Thelefteyestill retains its glassy inlay, whichbeautifully captures its andanefflcient vehicle forhunting. Hyksos, whichoccurred from thelate Horseback riding, however, remained shining Seventeenth to theearly eagerness. Theanimal's head Eighteenth presses against itscurved neck,a pose Dynasty (ca.ISSo B.C.). Afterthe dea rarity untilPtolemaic times. Thesethree representations capture oftenusedin depictions featof the Hyksos thehorse-drawn of horses in chariot became the predominant thetraits theancient Egyptians most the mid-Eighteenth Dynasty. fighting machine of Egypt's military, valued in a horse: speed, elegance, andgoodmanners. Thesmallivory theofficial conveyance of herkings, 69. Horse

55

asa Nut wasdescribed skygoddess The thestars. were children sowwhose factthatsowsareknownto eattheir asa parallel wasunderstood piglets of stars. to theriseanddisappearance here liketheoneillustrated Amulets of thegreat wererepresentations andguaranteed goddess mother fertility. of a young figure Thelittlewooden Its made. butcarefully pigis simply 72. Sow Amulet head,snubnose,andtheblack round B.C. Faience; 664-380 26-29, Dynasty alongits backarethe unmisstripes h. I%6 in. (3 cm).GiftofJ. Pierpont of thesuckling characteristics takable I9I7 (I7-I94-2243) Morgan, care. of theherdsman's pig,object wasfoundat themouthof Thefigure a tombshaftof Yuy, theplundered wholivedat the manandvizier, great It is Kingdom. endof theMiddle presence thepig's to explain diffilcult at a time equipment burial among of peasants, whenwoodenmodels the likewereno and granaries, stables, tombwassitYuy's in fashion. longer later QueenHatshepsut where uated of to hertemple thecauseway erected therefore, It is possible, Deirel-Bahri. belong not did figure pig little the that Pig 73. Young gift to Yuyat allbutwasa poorman's of thetomb near found Thebes, Western whose of Deirel-Bahri, to Hathor ca.I700I3(?), Dynasty Late Yuy, thevizier brown shrine withreddish Wood was temple I650 B.C. orlater. Hatshepsut's beside 1.I%6 in. legmissing); (left paint andblack theNew throughout muchvisited I926 (26.3.352) Fund, (4cm).Rogers Kingdom. from in Egypt Pigsweredomesticated the Sus scrofa, before a wildspecies, pharaB.C. During fifthmillennium onictimes,porkwasoneof thestaple on foods,andpigswerekeptin herds in the oftengrazing farm, large every Pigswerenot highlyreopensteppe. andthosewho however, garded, alasdirty, themwerereviled tended tombrelief an Old Kingdom though feeding lovingly a herdsman shows The a smallpigfromhisownmouth. and slowly, tabooon pigmeatevolved withtheevilSethnotassociations pigsalsohada favorable withstanding, The myths. roleto playin Egyptian 56

ram,withits brilThismagnificent wasmade glaze, liantblue-and-green art.It is of Egyptian latein thehistory saidto havebeenfoundin thecapioasis,Crocodilopolis talof theFayum with together el-Fayum), (Medinet in Roman masks faience twobeautiful mostprobwere objects Allthree style. to a sanctuary. votives ably as Ovis The ramcanbe identified on the forbased aegyptiaca, platyura andthickfleece. horns ward-bending into introduced first was species The 2000 Asiaaround fromwestern Egypt and the Old Kingdom B.C. During O. sheepspecies, another earlier, waslivingin palaeoaegyptiaca, Iongipes hadlong, Thisspecies theNilevalley. (seefig.2) horns spiraling horizontally to a numshape andlentitspowerful god, gods,thecreator berof Egyptian the mostimbeingperhaps Khnum, 0. because of them.Probably portant it quickly fleece, hadlonger platyura thebeginafter 0. Iongipes superseded Kingdom. ningof theMiddle oneof rambecame Theplatyura in Egypt animals themostsacred withthegod itsassociation through wasthe Amun,who,asAmun-Re, the deityduring supreme country's This afterward. and New Kingdom over itS head ramis bending faience to be a seems whatat firstglance is inspection buton closer manger, in Vessels a lotusblossom. actually 74. Ram to used frequently were form flower Period, RomanImperial Medinetel-Fayum, to gods.Amun offerings present in. h. 41M6 A.D. Faience; 2ndcentury probably is thusthetrue an offiering receiving Gift, S. Harkness Edward (I2cm). Purchase, masterpiece. of thisfaience subject I9 26 (26 .7.IOI9)

Based on thenonalignment of the linesof thedog's incised collar, anadLate Dynasty I8, I400-I350 B.C. Ivory, tinted redinside mouth andblack ditional around drill holeunder thethroat, and eyes andonundersides ofpaws (tail missing); thepresence of twosetsof cavities in. 73/8 in. (I8.6 cm). Rogers Fund, I940 sidetheupper jawto accommodate (40.2.I) theprotruding lower front teeth,it appears thatthejawlever wasoriginally fixedlower Thisleaping downon thechest. dogis a masterpiece The of Egyptian animal artist orhisclient sculpture. It is didnotliketheorigshownin a sortof grand jete', inalshape its full of themouthandreposibodyweight thrown forward, every tioned it, after whichhe hadto drilla muscle straining. Because newholein theneckanda newcavity thelower jawcanbe opened in theupper andclosed jaw. by Thedrillholesprobmeans of thelever under thebelly, ablyserved aschannels fora string that thepiecehasbeencalled a mechanical controlled theangle of themoveable toy.There are,however, serious reliawwnenlt wasln ltSopenposltlon. giousimplications to theimage of a leaping dog.Theartist's sketch (no.I2), 76. Crouching Dog forexample, shows a dogin analmost DynastyI8, ca. I550-I295 B.C. Ivory; identical posebeside thepharaoh as . 3 1%6 in. (9.7 cm). Gift of HelenMiller he fights a lion,which,in thiscontext, Gould,I9I0 (IO.I30.2520) embodies evilforces. Associations of a leaping dogwiththepharaoWs mythi- Egyptians wereclosely attached to calroleasthefoeof chaos andevil theirdogs,whichserved ashunting suggest thattheivory piece waspart of royal burial equipment andfunctioned asa magical object. If thisis thecase, judging fromitsstrikingly naturalistic style,it mostlikely belonged to the burial ofAmenhotep III. Theexceptional pieceshows unmistakable signsof an alteration that tookplacein antiquity, probably shortly after thework wasfinished. 7S Pharaohis HuntingDog
* * * * * .

andwatchdogs, status symbols, and companions. About seventy dognames areknown fromtextsandinscriptions. Theybear striking resemblance to the names givenmodern pets from Ebony, Blacky, andTrusty tO Son-ofthe-Moon, North-wind, Good-forNothing, and,moresimply, TheFifth orTheSixth. Theearliest breed (see no. 2) hadupright ears anda curled tail.A later breed hadlop ears anda straight tail.There wereotherkinds, including a typeof dachshund. Thissmall, crouching dogis a fine example of theEgyptian artist's ability tO convey ananimal through a fewfeatures. Itsheavy headrests lightly on pawsfolded over eachother: thepictureof a faithful dogawaiting itsmaster.Many dogburials have beenfound in Egypt, somewithstelebearing the animal's nameorwitha sarcophagus, andat leastoneEighteenth Dynasty leather dogcollar hassurvived.

57

77. Mouse
DynastyI8, ca. I550-I295 B.C. Ivory; Fund,I9 . 2%6 in. (6.5cm). Rogers
(44M4M55)

in the top)Vessel 79. (Opposite Shape of a Monkey


DynastyI8, ca. I550-I295 B.C. Faience; Fund,I974 h. 2 7/6 in. (6.5cm). Rogers
(I974-97)

78. Rator SpinyMouse


Western Thebes,DynastyI8, ca. I473stone6X4 x on limestone; I458 B.C. Drawing Gift, I93I X IO cm). Anonymous 31%6 in. (I7
(3I *4 2)

whichmouseor rat It is not clear hadin mindwhen species theartists thesetsvorepresentatheycreated Egypt was tions.Theratof pharaonic niloticus nilorat,Arvicanthis thegrass fromAsia ticus. Thehouseratarrived Two period. after thepharaonic pharaonic to species of micedating fromanitimeshavebeenidentified spinymouse, theEgyptian malbones: andthehouse Acomys cahirinus, Thespiny mouse,Musmusculus. the whereas senta housemouse, creature mouseis a scrubby-looking could drawing on limestone masterly knownto havelivedon therocky rat.The be a spinymouseor a grass numin great island of Elephantine of a sketch is on thereverse drawing which bers, whilethehousemouse, twoprofiles of Senenmut, showing theDelta therenowned coat,preferred hasa smooth of Queen steward ivory Thesmallexquisite margins. making thisanearly Hatshepsut, on oneside piece,whichis hollowed of theartof political example dish,mayrepre- caricature. to serve asa cosmetic

Cerof monkey, At leastonespecies in the aethiops, survived copithecus Egypt untiltheMiddle wildin ancient havealso butmonkeys Kingdom, fromEthiopia always beenimported andkeptasentertaining andSomalia by theladies especially companions, and of thehouse.In wallpaintings in the monkeys aredepicted elsewhere assheput playing lady's boudoir, Theyarealsoshown on hermakeup. datesand to harvest busily"helping" seenhere monkey figs.Thenaughty maywellhavestolenthefruithe is sucha harvest. eating during manycosmetic Not surprisingly, withmonkey vessels wereadorned Not onlydidtheseamusing figures. thedresscavort around creatures ingroom,buttheyalsocamefromthe to thesouth sameexoticcountries ingredimanycosmetic thatproduced werealso monkeys ents.Interestingly, in ancient aspolice"dogs" employed show OldKingdom reliefs Egypt. beingcaught of thieves vividscenes animals. by theclever

58

8I. Vessel in the Shape of a Mother Monkey with HerYoung

likely asgifts fordignitaries and foreign rulers attheking's thirty-year festival (Heb Sed).Themonkeys are identified Dynasty 6, reign of PepiI, ca.2289-2255 B.C. Egyptian alabaster (inscribed "Ny-Khaswt- aspets bytheir bracelets andarmlets. Meryre [female] tenantlandholder" [of the Thevessels are almost identical in pyramid endowment of PepiI] and"first subject andcomposition butremarkoccurrence ofthejubilee"); h. in. (I3.7 cm). ably different otherwise. Thepiece Purchase, Joseph Pulitzer Bequest, Fletcher below leftishighly stylized, itS overall Fund,andLilaAcheson Wallace, Russell shape is cylindrical, andalldetails are andJudyCarson, WilliamKellySimpson, reduced to nearly flat relie The other andVaughn Foundation Gifts,in honorof piece (no.8I) iS more organically conHenryGeorge Fischer, I992 (I992.338) ceived, eggshaped overall, withthe Thetwomonkey vases belowareindetails sculpted in theround. Itcapspired bykeenobservation of animal tures analmost human intimacy in behavior, in thiscasethecloserelation- thepose ofthemother and baby. In shipbetween mothers andtheir young ancient Egyptian art, it is rare tobe among primates. Bothvessels were able todistinguish individual artists' madeduring theSixthDynasty, most hands asclearly asinthese twoobjects.
5X8

79

80

80. Vessel in the Shape of a Mother Monkey with HerYoung Dynasty6, reignof Merenre, ca. 22552246 B.C. Egyptian alabaster (inscribed with the nameMerenre); h. 7S4 in. (I8.5 cm). Theodore M. OavisCollection, Bequest of Theodore M. Oavis,I9I5 (30.8.I34)

82.

GamePieces Baboon-Shaped

83. Baboon
Dynasty26, 664-S2S B.C. Memphis(?), in. (8.8cm). Purchase, h. 3X6 Faience; Gift,I926 (26.7.874) S. Harkness Edward

Left: 304-30 B.C. Ivory. Period, Ptolemaic BullFund,I968 h. I%8 in. (3-S cm). Ludlow Right:h. I%6 in. (3.3 cm). Purchase, (68.3). FundandThe GuideFoundation Fletcher Inc.Gift,I966 (66 99X7S)

an represent Thesetwolittlebaboons that anubis, Papio species, imported hamv1? of mane themagnificent lacks animal aremasterful The figures dryas. anaprecise comblning depictions, withexpressive, rendering tomical Since characterization. satirical almost right the on thebackof thefigure bone,thetralikea knuckle is shaped formof dicein the ancient ditional world,it is likelythatbothanimals froma game.Stylistically werepieces that theyareso closeto oneanother to thesameset,altheymustbelong theycameto theMuseum though times. at different era,many Bythe Ptolemaic werelivingin cities,some Egyptians andcosmoof whichwerequitelarge thatancient Alexandria, aswas politan, The minor of NewYork. equivalent an urban artsof thetimeoftenreflect sentimental anda somewhat lifestyle toward attitude andcondescending nearcaricaThe twobaboons, nature. aregood of twolittlebeggars, tures The artist of thisoutlook. examples hada disthefigures whosculpted influenced eyethatwassurely cerning whichis tradition, bytheHellenistic of postures in theintricate reflected bodies. thethinanimal
. .

of baboon, species resident Egypt's fromthe vanished hamadryas, Papio Kingdom, theMiddle wildduring aboutthesametimethatthemonkey baboons Thereafter alsodisappeared. fromthe to be imported continued depicted consistently were They south. than andmoreserious aslessplayful As farbackas monkey. thewhimsical timestheancient Dynastic Early asthe thebaboon venerated Egyptians whichhasbeen whiteone," "great Based animal. ancestor a royal called behavior of theactual on observations believed theEgyptians of baboons, thesun worshiped thattheseprimates or arms withupraised godat sunrise that postures on theirknees, hands byprimatologists havebeenexplained its body needto warm astheanimal's hands-on-knees The morning. the in foundits mostimpressive posture baboon in large realization artistic of thereign during created sculptures III(ca.I390-I353 B.C.). Amenhotep and intelligence Thebaboon's it to Thoth, gazelinked enigmatic for responsible wisdom, of god the all andgenerally writing, measuring, statThisfaience intellectual. things of thedeity. uetteis a representation older andrevived studied artists Many 26. Dynasty during traditions artistic that therefore, possible, It is entirely sculptures IIIbaboon theArnenhotep of this source weretheultimate statuesque smallbutimpressively
masterpiece.

60

developed

in six

main phases.

During

the

A BriefHistory of Anilnal Representation in Egyptian Art

LatePredynastic Period, ca. 3200-2960 B.C.

__ _ _

Theartof Egyptian animal representation

DynastiesI and 2, ca. 2960-2649 B.C.

Dynasty3, ca. 2649-2575 B.C.

latePredynastic Period andthefirsttwo x dynasties, animal representations were widely usedto express theoretical concepts suchaskingship or thepowers of theuniverse. At thistime,theEgyptians formu_ latedtheir hieroglyphic script, a goodpart of whichis composed of animal images. Animals wererendered moreabstractly thantheywouldbelater and canusually be identified bygenus butnotbyspecies. Manyimportant images of deities in animal shapes began to receive definitive form, a process completed byDynasty 3.Theiconography of typesthuscreated wouldcontinue to be usedin muchlater periods.

Nos.

I, I3,

39

Nos. 49, 50, 52, 54

Dynasty 4, ca.2575-2465 B.C.

Dynasties 5and6, ca.2465-2I50 B.C.

Thesecond phase of animal representation began in Dynasty 4 andreached anunsurpassed peakin Dynasty 5.Egyptian artists revealed theiroutstanding abilities to observe nature closely anddepict it precisely. Today's zoologists canidentify almost every species of fish,fowl,or horned steppe animal seenin paintings andreliefs fromtheperiod. Theincentive forthisnaturalism camefromthebelief thatthesungod,assupreme creator, cared forevery livingthing,each in itsparticular form andsize.In art,thesolar creed founditsmost potent expression in theFifthDynasty suntemples atAbusir, justsouth of present-day Cairo. Preserved onlyin fragments, reliefs fromthese temples revealed in minute detail theliving world under thesolar deity's tutelage. Each animal wasshown in activities appropriate to the three seasons of theEgyptian year. Theinfluence of thesesun-temple reliefs is apparent in allanimal representations of theOldKingdom andin many later works of art.

No.

61

oped. _ As

the Early Old in

the Kingdom third

waned, phase

of the animal

First Intermediate ca.2I40Period,


2040 B.C.

_ _ _

Mit (modern of Memphis importance resanditsroyal southof Cairo) Rahina, anda wayto theprovlnces, gave idence develphilosophy pessimistic markedly

_i

Kingdom, Middle ca.2040-I640 B.C., to NewKingdom, early ca.ISSO-I400 B.C.

with whichcoincides representation, New andearly Kingdom theMiddle folkart,andtheprevailing a nascent inspired provincialism Kingdom, forwhichmany practices of magical riseto a multitude gave pessimism with Oftenfolkartandiconography werecreated. newtypesof objects while figures, animal Kingdom in Middle mingled significance magical intofine thesecharacteristics sublimated articles luxury high-quality largely were however, andtombreliefs, temple of art.Royal works over lapped phase Asthethird prototypes. byOldKingdom influenced images, animal charming many of theNewKingdom, part intotheearly Kingdom, thanthoseof theMiddle andelegant oftenmoreintimate werecreated.

Nos.

6I, 62, 73 39, 4I, 59

Nos. 38,

No. 34 Nos. I6, I7, 27 Nos. 25, 49 Nos. 3, 9, 20, 35,

37, 39,

42, 57, 7I, 76, 77, 78, 79

III, Amenhotep ca.I390-I353 B.C.

_ _

Akhenaten, ca.I353-I336 B.C.

in ushered worship of solar A revival of theartof animal phase thefourth in Thenewintensity representation. durof thesungodstarted theworship IIIand of Amenhotep ingthereign son his while a peak reached to parallels many indudes thisphase wasking.Artistically Akhenaten details, Anatomical artists. of OldKingdom theaccomplishments concerns. primary wereagain rendered, andprecisely doselyobserved not only of time,expressed in the concept interest wasrenewed There to capattempts artists' the but in life of seasonal in representations windsblowing of gentle theeffects byshowing moment turea passing suchas tendencies Stylistic in motion. animals orbyfreezing over plants thethird andevenbefore to painting, mostreadily lentthemselves these of thiskind.Manyfinedrawings wereexamples there hadended, phase of theachievements anticipate Dynasty Eighteenth madein theearly reign. Akhenaten's during artists of thelatethird specialty wereanother in theround sculptures Small thatrelifestyle luxury-oriented anurban, echoing phases, andfourth andanimals. humans between relationship sentimental in a more sulted hardbylarge wereinfluenced figures animal Manyof thesmall-scale suchasthemormonuments forroyal created sculptures stoneanimal at or,in Nubia,thetemple IIIatThebes of Amenhotep temple tuary royal describing scarab suchasa texton a large works, Literary Soleb. theimto thegodAten,underlined hymns featsor thefamous hunting huntTheimmense of thetime. ideology in thestate of animals portance courthuntsof theNewKingdom, bythefamed ingbootygenerated bodies animal to study thechance mayhavegivenartists incidentally, directly.

Nos. 4, 6, IS, 24, 26, 48, 75

No. 7s No. 24 Nos. 35,67, 78

Nos. 3, 4, 75

62

; i

Sometime especially

during during thetheLate Old Period, and New

20, I9 and Dynasties ca.I295-I070 B.C.

Intermediate Third ca.I070-7I2 Period,


B.C.

dynasin succeeding artreverberated of FifthDynasty Justasechoes IIIand of Amenhotep of thereigns representations ties,theanimal is Thisinfluence times. theartof later influenced greatly Akhenaten I9 and20 and of Dynasties images fineanimal reflected in themany amulets of certain liveliness Thestriking Period. theThirdIntermediate aswell. vitality of thattradition therenewed reveals fromthatperiod

Nos.

I2,

40, 53,63, 69

No. 37

7thto 4th LatePeriod, B.C. century

_ _ _i
a

theanatomibegan to discover artists bodies. They of animal calstructure andcaptured observed hadalways of eachspecies, characteristics essential

butnow,in thefifthphase, Kingdoms, howbones, to understand theysought could Theresults function. ananimal sinews, andskinmade muscles, be lmpresslve. in aresculptures of thisfifthphase representations Thebestanimal small Innumerable hardstone. orblack in dark green created theround, thisperiod madeduring of highquality andfigurines animal amulets in earlier achievements andreinterpreting reevaluating alsoshowartists beautiful detail. The organic on art,witha newemphasis miniature theeffectof these enhanced faience colorof thisperiod's lightturquoise
. . * . .

Nos.

Sx I0, II, S

Nos. S, S

Nos. I9,

20,

37, 46, s6,

S8,64, 83

sometlmes

tlny masterpleces.

andRoman Ptolemaic 304s.c.-4th periods A.D. century

_ _
-

_ _
j_

_
_

representaof animal Thesixthphase and thePtolemaic tioncovered In thelightblue, periods. Roman of the faience finlshed impeccably
period, amuletlclmagesassumeda

Nos. 28, 29, 33,74, 82 Nos. 2I, 28

theinthatreflected coolaloofness of of thisphase typical tellectualism waswidely Bronze culture. Egyptian for were alsocontainers of thesebronzes Many figures. usedforanimal almost usof theperiod's remind Such objects animals. of real bodyrelics Beginning of thedivine. manifestations search fortangible frenzied thanimages, rather actual animals, phase, Late Period withthepreceding of deities. in the worship numbers in ever-increasing hadbeenincluded strikof many artwasthecreation of Ptolemaic achievement A special orsculptors' votives Whether in limestone. images of animals ingrelief animals in anexemplary strive to represent clearly thesereliefs models, tradition of artistic of years thousands Capturing manner. anddirect andattention substance thesame theyevince pictograms, in definitive sincetheOld in Egypt animal imagery thathadinspired to detail Kingdom. _ _

Nos. 23, 43, 44, 4S, 60

Nos. SI,S2,SS

63

Bibliography General Selected


in of animals onthesubject studies In-depth without beundertaken cannot Egypt Ancient KeimerbyLudwig thearchive consulting in the nowhoused unpublished largely The Cairo. Institute, Archaeological German listed in are byKeimer articles numerous desalten Die Tierwelt Boessneck, Joachim pp. I9I-92. I988), (Munich, Agypten Vol.I, Reptilia ofEgypt. Zoology John. Anderson, I965. I898; repr. London, andBatrachia. William E.deWinton. and John, Anderson, I902. London, Mammalia. Zoology ofEgypt: Texas, Egypt. ofAncient Amulets Carol. Andrews,
I9947 vols.Wiesbaden, derAgyptologie. Lexikon I975-92. Germany,

Jan after in allkindsof wood": Page6, "Beetles undGebete, Hymnen Agyptische Assmann,
p. 203.

Literature: Egyptian Ancient Miriam. Lichtheim, Los 3 vols.Berkeley, ofReadings. A Book I973-80. andLondon, Angeles, Egypt. TheCatin Ancient Jaromir. Malek, I993. London,
2 ofEgypt. NicollsBirds Richard. Meinertzhagen, I930. vols.London,

Lichtheim, is the tasteof death"': Page7, "'This vol. I, TheOldandMiddle Literature, p. 224. Kingdoms, it withhis hounds": PageII, "Ahunterpursues vol. 2, notedabove, Literature, I ichtheim,
p. I87.

by night": seesandcatches PageI6, "who Egyptian The Ancient O. Faulkner, Raymond p- I05, vol. 2, Spells3Sy-787) Cofin Texts, spell470. West:in peace": the beauteous Page2I, "grant Egypt, Malek,TheCatin Ancient Jaromir Allen. byJames p. 86, fig. 53; translation I'llnot part!": yourbeauty Page24, "From vol. 2, notedabove, Literature, Lichtheim,
p. I90.

undGebete. Hymnen Agyptische Jan. Assmann, and Zurich Alten Welt. der DieBibliothek I975. Munich, de du curiosite's Le Cabinet Nathalie. Beaux, du 'CJardin et animaus III:Plantes Thoutmosis Lovaniensia Orientalia Karnak. botanique"de
I990. Belgium, 36. Leuven, Analecta

desAlten Die Tierwelt Joachim. Boessneck, anhand kulturgeschichtAgypten untersucht I988. Munich, Quellen. licher undzoologisher Fish F.Friedman. J.,andRene Douglas Brewer, Cairo, I989. Egypt. in Ancient andFishing An Horus: H. W. TheTriumphant Fairman, and Berkeley Drama. Sacred Ancient Egyptian I974. Los Angeles, Egyptian Ancient O. The Raymond Faulkner, England, Warminster, 2 vols. Cog7in Texts.
I977-

H. W. does": a boldfen-man Page24, "As p. 82, verses Horus, TheTriumphant Fairman, and90-92. 8I-83 yourappearance": armsadore Page25, "Their vol. 2, notedabove, Literature, Lichtheim,
P- 97-

Animals: Egyptian W.,Ancient Dorothy Phillips, (TheMetropolitan Book. NewYork A Picture of Art),I942. Museum und Erzahlungen Altagyptische Gunther. Roeder, I927. Jena,Germany, M2rchen. du nouvel LesChevaux Catherine. Rommelaere, harnacheraces, Origines, empire Egyptien: ancienne de l'Egypte ment. Conaissance I99I. Etude3. Brussels, Wildung.Gottund andDietrich Sylvia, Schoske, Mainz,I992. Agypten. Gotter im alten ofDailyLifein E. Models Winlock,Herbert at ofMeket-Re fromtheTomb Ancient Egypt of The Metropolitan Thebes. Publications Vol.I8. Expedition. of ArtEgyptian Museum Mass.,I955. Cambridge, Notes: any Page2, "noscenein the tombcontained E. Winlock,"The Herbert suchfigure": The I922-I923," Expedition, Egyptian ofArtI8 Museum Metropolitan Bulletin of The part2, p. 2I. I923), December (oldseries, of with a fewswiftstrokes Page2, "indicated Expedition," black": Winlock,"TheEgyptian notedabove,p. 34. Miriam himself": who raised Page4, "Beetle vol. 2, Literature, Egyptian Ancient Lichtheim, p. 87. TheNewKingdom,

banksareflooded": the river Page38, "when Texts, Pyramid Egyptian TheAncient Faulkner, byJames 58I; translation p. 235, utterance Allen. his bountyoverflow": Page38, "Who makes vol. I, notedabove, Literature, Lichtheim, pp. 205 and207. him": Page43, "Iwason my bellybefore vol. I, notedabove, Literature, Lichtheim,
p. 2I2.

Pyramid Texts. Egyptian . TheAncient

Oxford, I969.
im Fische undFischkulte Ingrid. Gamer-Wallert, Vol.2I. Agyptologische alten Agypten. and Helck Ed.WolEgang Abhandlungen. I970. Otto. Wiesbaden, Eberhard

my heartwassweetto excess": Page45, "And AllenfromPapyrus byJames Translation Harris 500. ago": years worldof fourthousand PageSI,"little of DailyLifein Herbert E. Winlock,Models p. 3. Egypt, Ancient Lichtheim, PageSI,"sothathe couldescape": vol. 2, notedabove,pp. 204-6. Literature, is nothingmorecunningthan Page54, "There Alt2gyptische Roeder, man": Gunther p. 308. undMarchen, Erzahlungen on the The animal Page58, Rator spinymouse: (acc.no. ostracon of the Senenmut reverse J. byJacques hasbeenidentified 3I.4.2) asa fox ("Onthe Scentof a Fox"in Janssen pp. I6 [I990], in Egyptology Discussions 43-SI),but the longanddensewhiskers, muzzle, andthin tailarenot those elongated the animal of a fox. DaleJ. Osbornidentifies a spinymouse asa rodent,quitepossibly forthcoming). England, (Warminster,

Enel. and Thierry Franc,ois-Xavier, Hery,


deDieu. duNil Animaux Animaux

Aix-enpharaonique. del'Egypte L'Univers I993. Provence, "Tiere." Staehelin. andElisabeth Erik, Hornung, aus Siegelamulette undandere InSkarabden
in Denkmdler Agyptische Basler Sammlungen: I976. Vol.I, pp. I06-63. Mainz, derSchweiz. ofEgypt. F.TheBirds Patrick Houlihan, I986. England, Warminster, DerIgelim alten Vera vonDroste. zuHulshoK, Agyptologische Hildesheimer Agypten. I980. II. Hildesheim, Beitrage Egyptian Jack Janssen. and Rosalind, Janssen, Shire Egyptology. Animals. Household I989. England, Aylesbury,

64

The

14usew lAetrsaltaolntatn

of

Art

D3u11eiGiisn

lIlales

Summer 1994-Spring 1995 New Series, Volume LII

Arnold, Dorothea. See An Egyptlan Bestiary

Bestiary. No. 4, 1 64 An Egypt activities in the alluvial land, tomb painting, Dyn. 18, 38 aThe Alluvial Land,"3u0 amulets and figurines, animal, Late Period, 6. See also under individual animal names antelope: on comb, Predynastic, 8; head, Dyn. 27, 12, 13 Anubis: as embalmer, Ptolemaic, 14, 15; recumbent, painted, Dyn. 2S27, 16 baboon(s): game pieces, Ptolemaic, 60; on magic rod, late Dyn. 12-13, 35; Memphis (7), Dyn. 26, 60 bee, painted relief, Lisht South, Dyn. 12, 47 49 beetle, on beetle sarcophagus, PtolexTlaic, birds, painted relief, Deir el-Bahri, Dyn. 11, 27 bolti (fish), dish, Dyn. 18, 37 "ABAef Histoxy of Animal Representationin Egyptian Art,"6143 bull(s): Apis, Dyn. 2S29, 53; fighting, painting on limestone, Dyn. 1F20, 52; leg, fumiture, Abydos, Dyn. 1-2, 53. See also cattle butterfly amulets, Lisht, Dyn. 1>13, 31 camel, head, Thebes, Ptolemaic, 54 canid(s) (jackallsD:on comb, Predynastic, 8; head, Late Period, 15. Seealso Anubis, dogfs), jackals cat(s): Late Period, Dyn. 2S29, 41; with ichneumon, Ptolemaic, 39; mummy container, Saqqara, Ptolemaic, 40, 41 cattle: resting, Dyn. 2S29, 52; stable with fattened, Westem Thebes, early Dyn. 12, 50, 51; or wild bulls, on comb, Predynastic, 8 cheetah, 19 cobra(s): frieze, canopic shrine of Tutankhamun, 42; giant, on comb, Predynastic, 8; heads, late Dyn. 18, 42; on pharaob's forehead, painted relief, Deir el-Bahri, Dyn. 11, 43; and vulture, relief, Ptolemaic, 46 crane. Seeheron crocodile(s): on magic rod, late Dyn. 12-13, 35; sculpture, late 1st cen. s.c.arly 1st cen. A.D., 32 deer (stag), Persian fallow, on protome from diadem, Hyksos, Dyn. 15-16, 15 dog(s): attacking feline, on comb, Predynastic, 8; crouching, Dyn. 18, 57; hounds and jackals game, Thebes, late Dyn. 12, 64; hunting, tomb relief, Saqqara, Dyn. 5, 8, 9; pharaoh's hunting, mechanical, late Dyn. 18, 57 donkey, drawing on limestone, Deir el-Bahri, Dyn. 18, 54 dragonflies and damselflies, amulets, Lisht, Dyn. 12-13, 31 duck(s):.mallards, cosmetic containers in shape of, Dyn. 18, 28; painted stucco pavement, Malqata, Dyn. 18, 26; trussed, perfume vessel in shape of two, Middle Kingdom, prob. Iate Dyn. 12-13, 28, 29 "The Egyptian Desert," 7-23 elephants, on comb, Predynastic, 8 falcon: flying, polychrome inlay, Hermopolis Magna, Ptolemaic, 1; sculpture, prob. Heliopolis, Dyn. 30, 44, 45 feline(s): handle of cosmetic spoon, Malqata, Dyn. 18, 19; large, on comb, Predynastic, 8 fish, in canal, tile, El-Qantir,Dyn. 19, 36 fly, amulets: Dyn. 1917; Dyn. 26-29; early Dyn. 18, 48 frog, amulets: Dyn. 19; Dyn. 19-20; Dyn. 26-29; on lotus pad, Dyn. 18; New Kingdom; tree (.2),New Kingdom, 34 gazelle: Dorcas, tomb relief, Saqqara, Dyn. 5, 8, 9; mummy, Thebes, 11; Dyn. 18, 10, 11; three debenweight in fonn of, Dyn. 18, 11 geese, tomb painting, Dyn. 2, 61

genet, Dyn. 2S29, 22 giraffes, on comb, Predynastic, 8 hare: amulet, Ptolemaic, 23; as hieroglyph, painted relief, Deir el-Bahri, Dyn. 11, 23; tomb relief, Saqqara, Dyn. 5, 8, 9 hedgehog, seal amulets; Dyn. 26; Late Period, prob. Dyn. 26; New Kingdom, 22-23 heron: or crane, on comb, Predynastic, 8; drawing on papyrus, westem Thebes, Dyn. 21, 31 hippopotamus, 24; Meir, Dyn. 12, back cover; Middle Kingdom, 33; painting on limestone, Deir el-Bahri, Dyn. 18, 2, 33 hoopoe, drawing on papyrus, Dyn. 19, 46 horse: comb, Dyn. 19, 55; drawing on lnestone, Thebes, Dyn. 26, 2, 55; whip handle, Thebes, Dyn. 18, 55 hunt in the steppe, relief, Saqqara, Dyn. 5, 8, 9 hyena: at bay, tomb painting, Dyn. 18, 5; tomb relief, Saqqara, Dyn. 5, 8, 9 ibex: Dyn. 18, 13; late Dyn. 18, 13; tomb relief, Saqqara, Dyn. 5, 8, 9 ibis, hieroglyphic sign showing, relief inlay, El-As}wnunein (Hermopolis Magna), Ptolemaic, 30. See also Thoth ichneumon, 22; Ptolernaic, 39 jackals, hounds and, game, Thebes, late Dyn. 12, 64. See also canid(s) jerboas, funerary votive figures, Middle Kingdom, late Dyn. 12 orDyn.13,21 leopard: head amulet, double, from girdle, Lahun, Dyn. 12, 19; on magic rod, late Dyn. 12-13, 35 lion(s): head, seated goddess with, amulet, Third Intermediate Peri<}d,18; on magic rod, late Dyn. 12-13, 35; pharaoh spears a, painting on limestone, Thebes, Valley of the Kings, late Dyn. 2(}Third Intermediate Period, 1S17; recumbent, said to be from Gebelein, Early Dynastic, 17 marshland fauna, tomb painting, Thebes, Dyn. 18, 24 mollusk shell, jewelry: bivalve, Lisht North, late Dyn. 12; cowrie, Lisht, Dyn. 1>13, 36 monkey: vessel, Dyn. 18, 58, 59; vessels, mother with young, Dyn. 6, 59 mosquito deity, amulet, Dyn. 2g29, 48 mouse, cosmetic dish, Dyn. 18, 58, See also rat official, deceased, adores deities in the western desert, tomb painting, Thebes, early Dyn. 19, 7 otter, Ptolemaic, 25 owl, barn, relief, Ptolemaic, 47 oxen, farmer plowing with, early Dyn. 12, 51 pig: sow, amulet, Dyn. 26-29; young, westem Thebes, late Dyn.

56 13 (.2),
westem Thebes, rat or spiny mouse, drawing on lisTIestone, Dyn. 18, 58 scarab, amulets: Dyn. 19; late Dyn. 12-early Dyn. 13, 49 scribe notes the spoils of the hunt, tomb painting, Thebes, Dyn. 18,4 sheep (ram): Medinet el-Fayum, Roman Imperial Period, prob. 2nd cen A.D., 56; hieroglyphic siF depicting, tomb painting, Beni Hasan, Dyn. 12, 5 shrew, Ptolemaic, 39 snakes, on comb, Predynastic, 8 storks, on comb, Predynastic, 8 swallow, relief, Ptolemaic, 45 Thoth, Ptolemaic, 30 toad(s): amulets, Dyn. 2g29, 34; on magic rod, late Dyn. tuxtle(s): amulet, Dyn. 12, 34; amulet, New Kingdom, 35; amulet, Second Intermediate Period, 35; cosmetic dish cover, Dyn. O, 35; on magic rod, late Dyn. 12-13, 35 vulture, with cobra, relief, Ptolemaic, 46 aWetlands and Waterways,"24-37 wildcat, 22; container, early Dyn. 12, 20, 21

12-13, 35

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The Met and tlxe New M{llenn{|m: A Cbronicle of the Past and a Bhleprint for ffie Future. No. 1, 1-90. actors, terracotta, Greek, prob. 4th cen. B.C., 78 "Al-Andalus:The Art of Islamic Spain," exhibit, 86 altar:platform, Buddhist, Japanese, modeled on 12thwen. example, Fukiji, Kyushu, 47; ritual, set, Chinese, early Westem Chou, 43 American Wing, 22; Charles Englehard Court, 18, 24, 35, 37, 38, 39; fasade of Branch Bank of the United States, 21, 24, 38; Henry R. Luce Center for the Sxdy of American Art, 24, 40 Andre Mertens Galleries for Musical Instruments, 60 Annie Laurie Aitken Galleries, 74 Antonio RattiTextile Center, 18, 58, 76, 77 armor: child's, French, 1712, 59, 60; Japanese, late Kamakura, 59; jousting, German, ca. 158(}90, 60 armor shop, 13 Arms and Armor Galleries, 59 60 Astor Court, 44, 45 AttarouthiTreasure, nolthem Syria, 6tls7th cen., 75, 76 Balthus, 7heMountain, 1937, 28 Bamard, George Grey, Struggle of tbe EwoNaturesof Man, 20 Beatus Manuscript, Spanish, late 12th cen., 9 bed, state, English, Hampton Court, 1697-98, 74 Bernini, Gian Lorenzo, Faun Neased by Children,161S17, 52 Bernini, Gian Pietro, P"apus and Flora, 1616, 51-52 Bingham, George Caleb, Fur EradOs DescendingffieMissoun, ca. 1845, 39 Blanche and A.L. Levine Court, 27 bound prisoner, limestone EgyFxian,Dyn. 5, 36 bowl: gold, Cypriot, 8th cen. B.C., 80; majolica, with arms of Pope Julius II, Italian, 1508, 32 Bruegel the Elder, Pieter, 7he HarJJesters, 1565, 89 Buddha, standing, Sri Lanka, Polonnaruva, 11th-12th cen., 49 Canevale, Isidor, room, Palais Paar, 54 Canova, Antonio: PerseusunththeHead of Medasa, 1804 6, 5; Venusand Cupid,52 Carpeaux, Jean Baptiste, Ugolinoand His Sons, 1865-67, 8 carpentry shop, 19 Carrolland Milton Petrie European Sculpture Court, 8, 24, 25, 50, 51-52, 69 Central European galleries, 53 Charlotte C. and John C. Weber Galleries for the Axtsof Ancient China, 43 Chinese galleries, 7s71 choir screen, Spanish, Cathedral of Valladolid, 1763, 75 Ch'u Ting, attr., SummerMountains(detail), Northem Sung, 44 Cleopatra's Needle, 51 Clodion, reliefs, 52 The Cloisters Treasury, 60 61 colossi of Amenhotep III, Egypthn, Temple of Luxor, Thebes, Dyn. 18, 64 conservation activities: stabilizing pigment, Japanese painting, 12; restoring stained glass, Cloisters, 14 cosmological diagram, silk-tapestly, Sino-Tibetan, 13th-14th cen., 14 Coustou, Guillaume, SamuelBernard,52 curatonal activities: American Decorative Art, 12; Amencan Paintings and Sculpture, 15; Asian Art, 14; Egyptian Art, 15; Greek and Roman Art, 14; Medieval Art, 12 Degas, Edgar, LittleFourteen-Year-Old Dancer, 83 "Degas,"exhibit, 83 Department of Photographs, 11 D'Epinay, Coste Prosper, Sappbo, ca. 1&95, 25 dish, red-lacquer, Chinese, Yuan to early Ming, 44 doorjamb fragment, Egyptian, Temple of Ramesses II, Thebes,

DeDrowning of Bntomartis, French,prob. Paris,1547-59,57 Editorial Department, 11

Egyptian galleries, 24, 36 Emperor Augustus, cameo, Roman, A.D. 41-54, 78 Emperor Hsuan-tsung's Flightto Shu,Chinese, Southem Sung, 43 Ennion, glass vessels, Roman, 1st cen. A.D., 78 Euphronios (painter), calyx-krater, Attic, ca. 515 B.C., 79 fireplace, French, 1st quarter 16th cen., 57 Flandes,Juande, 7beMamageFeastatGgna,ca. 1500,54 Florence and Herbert Irving Galleries for the Arts of South and Southeast Asia, 9, 49; KhrnerCourt, 48 Flowers and Birdsof theFourSeasons,screen, Japanese, Momoyama, 46 Foggini, Giovanni Battista, GrandPrinceFerdinandode' Medici,168345, 52 French, Daniel Chester, The Melvin Memorial (replica), 1908, 40 French Renaissance gallery, 56, 57 Freud, Lucian, NakedMan, Back Vew, 1991-92, 29 Goya, Francisco, Countess of Altamiraand HerDaugbter,30 Grand Staircase, 22 Great Hall, 4, 5, 2621; balcony, 5, 63, 69; infomlation desk, 22; international visitors desk, 86 Greek and Roman galleries, 77, 79, 88 "The Greek Mirade," exhibit, 32 GuardianKingFudoMyo{>, Japanese, late Heian, 47 head: fragnent, poss. Queen Tiye, Egyptian, Dyn. 18, 36; queen mher, Nigerian, Edo, 18th-19th can., 42 horse, China, T'ang, 26 Houdon, Jean-Antoine, Bather,1782, 10, 51, 52 Ingres, J. A. D., Princesse de Broglie,ca. 1851, 30, 32 Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Galleries, 52-53 Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Roof Garden, 29 Jack and Belle Linsky Galleries, 25, 56 Klee, Paul, BempRe Gardens,1920, 29 Kooning, Willem de, Attic,1949, 28 Li Kung-lin, rhe Classicof FilialPiety,70 lion: and bull, winged, Assyrian, Nimrud, 61; Meissen porcelain, Gennan, ca. 1732, 53 Lotus Sutra, illustrated, Korean, Koryo, 70 mandala, silk-tapestxy (detail), Chinese, Yuan, 47, 49 "Manet," exhibit, 85 Matisse, Henri, Nasturtiums withDance, 1912, 28 mbispoles, New Guinea, Asmat, 41 McKim, Mead and White: north wing, 1914, 68; stair hall, Metcalfe House, Buffalo, N.Y., 1884, 39 "MedievalArtbom lste Antiquitythrough lste Gcxhic,"exhibit, 84 Medieval Sculpture Hall, 75, 84 meeting hall, Jain, Indian, Gujarat,Patan, 159496, 49 Metropolitan Museum of att, exterior: ariel view, 1955, 23; ariel view, 1991, 23; Fifth Avenue plaza and front steps, 1S17, 20, 82; first building in Central Part, 1880, 21; Vaux, Calvert, Neo-Gothic arch from Fifth Avenue faade, 51 Michael C. Rockefeller Wing, 41>2; Art of Oceania gallety, 41; Jan Mitchell Treasury, 41; Robert Goldwater Library,41; West African galleIy, 42 Mosca, Simone, wall fountain, ca. 1528, 57 Nineteenth-Century European Paintings and Sculpture galleries, 63, 6v7 Noguchi, Isamu, Water Stone,1986, 46 Nur al-Din room, Syrian, 1707, 61 Palmer, Erastus Dow, 7he Indian Girl,1853-56, 39 Paolo, Giovanni di, wuEsionAnn Paradise, ca. miAS-15Xh cen., 30 Phyllisand Anstotle,Mosan school, ca. 1400, 31 Pigalle, Jean-Baptiste, Mmede Pompadour, 52 Pollock, Jackson, AutumnRhythm (Number30), 1950, 6; Number28, 1950, 28; Pasiphae,1943, 28, 29 Raymond and Beverly Sackler Gallely for Assyrian Art, 61. See also Sackler Wing restaurant and cafeterLs,80, 81 robe (>osode), woman's, Japanese, Edo, 45 Robert A. and Renee E. Belfer Court, 81 Robert Lehman Wing, 25, 3s32, 68 Robert Wood Johnson Jr. GalleIy, 51, 65

Rodin, Auguste: ZheBronzeAge,cast ca. 1906, 63; ZheBurghers of Gxlais, cast 1985, 29, 52; study for the Monumentto Balzac, 1897, cast 1972, 67 room, hotel de Varengeville, Paris, ca. 1735, 55 Ruth and Harold D. Uris Center for Education, 88 Sackler Wing: hts of Japan Galleries, 26, 46, 47, 69; Sackler Galleries for Asian kt, 46, 47. SSealsoTemple of Dendur Saint-Gaudens, Augustus, Dtana, 1928, 37 sarcophagus, Roman, early 3rd cen. A.D., 6 seated couple, Mali, Dogon, 42 "Seurat,185F1891," exhibit, 82, 87 Sherman Fairchild Center for Objects Conservation, 57-58 Sherman Fairchild Paintings Conservation Center, 58 sphinx of Amenhotep III, Egyptian, Dyn. 18, 3g35 Spring, Coptic, ca. 40s450, 76 statue, copy of Greek, Roman, A.D. 6F96, 77 studiolo, Italian, Gubbio, Umbria, ca. 1476 80, 73 Sullivan, Louis, staircases, Chicago Stock Exchange Building, 1893, 38 Bateof Genji,screen painting, Edo, 45 Temple of Dendur, EarlyRoman, ca. 15 B.C., 22, 26, 33-35, 64, 68 Tiepolo, Giov Domenico: 7he Capture of Garbage,172g30, 72; Punchinelloas a Dressmaber, late 18th cen., 31 Tiffany, Louis Comfort, loggia, Oyster Bay, Long Island, 38 UTreasures of Tutankhamun," exhibit, 26, 83 triton and tritoness, ann bands, prob. nothern Greece, ca. 200 B C., 78 Vanderlyn, John, Panoramic Viewof Versailles, 181S19, 37 Van Gogh, Vincent,OliveOrsbard; Sboes,1888; Wheat Fxeld u>ith Cypresses, 1898, 67 "WaistNot," effiibit, 65 wall paintings (facsides), Egyptian, Thebes, 36 Wallace Wing, Lila Acheson, 22, 27, 69

WiUiams House, WilliamC., 1810,38 Wright, FrankLloyd,livingroom, Francas W. Little House, 1912-14,3v39 YatsubashiCEight-plari Bridge),screen, Korin,44 MontebeHo, Philippede. See lene Met and the New Mlllennium

Recent hcqulsiins:

A Selstion,

199>1994.

No. 2, 1-96

Aftica, Oceania,and theAmericas.Kim Benzel, Kate Ezra,Julie


Jones, Heidi King, J. Kenneth Moore, 80 83 carved tusk and finial, Zaire, Loango coast (Kongo, Vili), 19th cen., 81 nfukula(chest drum), Zaire CIabwa), early 20th cen., 81 sword, sheath, and panels, ceremonial, Nigeria (Yoruba, Owa), 19th 20th cen., 82 temple sculpture, Mexico (Mezcala), 500 B.C.-A.D. 1500, 83 tunic (jibbeh.), Mahdist, Sudan, prob. 1881-98, 80 vessel with ntual scene, Mexico or Guatemala (Maya), 8th cen., 83 AncientWorkl. Dorothea Amold, Joan Aruz, Kim Benzel, Patricia A. GiLkison, MarshaHill, Joan R. Mertens, ElizabethJ. Milleker, Carlos A. Picon, CatharineRoehrig, S15 appliques in shape of scallop shells, pair, Greek, late 4ti3rd cen. B.C., 13 Ashby Painter,attr.,kylix, Greek, Attic red-figure, ca. 500 B.C., 12 cups, drinking (kylikes), pair, Greek, late 4ti3rd cen. B.C., 13 flask, perfume (alabastron), Greek, late 5th}4th cen. B.C., 14 head: bearded man, portrait, Roman, prob. Hadrianic or early Antonine, 14, 15; bull, Early Bronze Age, Canaande, 8 phiale, Greek, 6th cen. B.C., 13 relief block with face of Nefertiti, Egyptian, Dyn. 18, 9 spoon, decorated, Egyptian, Dyn. 19, 9 statue of Ankh-Wennefer, block, Egyptian, late Dyn. 25 or early Dyn. 26, 1O11 vessel, inscribed cult, northern Mesopotamia, Akkadian/NeoSumenan, 8

wall painting with warrior scene, south Italian (Lucanian), mid 4th cen. B.C., 14 Asia. Maxwell K. Hearn, Seven M. Kossak, MartinLemer, BarbaraBrennan Shimizu, Anita Siu, Masako Watanabe, James C. Y. Watt, 8O95 Bhima, Kesu Ram, Bhopa, and Nathu, Maharana Ari Singh unth His Courtiersat the Jagniwas WaterPalace, Indian, Rajathan,Mewar school, 1767, 9t) Buddha: scene from life of, Japanese, NamboEcho, 89; seated crowned and jeweled, Indian, Bihar, Pala, Kurkihar style, 93; standing, Sri Lanka, Polonnaruva, 91; standing, Thailand, Mon style, 8ti9th cen., 93 figure of man, Chinese, Warring States, 84, 85 Lm Liang, Ewo Hawks in a Bbicket,Chinese, Ming, 86 Noh masks: ChAjo, Japanese, Edo, 88; Ro-omote,Japanese, Edo, 88 palanquin, Korea, Choson, 87 Shiva, five-headed, Cambodia, Anglcor, Khmer style of Pre Rup, 94 Uma, standing, Cambodia, Angkor, Khmer style of Banteay Srei, 92 vessel in form of affiead, ceremonial, Indonesia, Bronze and Iron ages, 95 yu (bowV with painted geometric design, Chinese, Westem Han, 85 Europe 1700 19OO.Clare Le Corbeiller, Malcolm Daniel, James David Draper, William M. Griswold, MaAaMorris Hambourg, Laurence Libin,Jesse McNab, StuartW. Pyhrr, William Rieder, Susan Alyson Stein, Louise Stover, Galy Tinterow, 3g53 athenienne, one of pair, French, ca. 1773, 39 Bouguereau, Adolphe-William, Young Mother Gazing at Her Child, 1871, 47 Boulton, Matthew (designer), MineIva clock, ca 177s82, 37 Brun, J. C. A. (gunmaker), double-barrel percussion shotgun, French (Paris), 1866, 47 Canova, Antonio, Venas and Cupid, ca. 179S99, 40 centerpiece, English (Minton, Staffordshire), 1866, 44 45 Cezanne, Paul: DominiqueAubert, theArtist's Uncle, as a Monk, 1866, 48; lbe House with Cracbed Walls, 1894, 49 Gauguin, Paul, The Siesta, 51 Green, Samuel, chamber organ, ca. 1790, 39 Jeannest, Louis-Fransois, Dominique VivantDenon (1747-1825), General Director of the Musee Napo1Fon, 1802, 40 Johnson, David, Acan Barque 'AJane Tuzlor, " Conway Bay, ca. 1855, 45 Longhi, Pietro, study of a seated woman, 36 Manet, tdouard, Still Life uath Flowers, Fan, and Pearls, ca. 1860, 46 Piranesi, Giovanni Battista, Villa of Hadrian: Octagonal Room in the Small Baths, ca. 1777, 36 Pissarro, Camille, 7be Cabbage Gatherers,ca. 1878-79, 50 Prud'hon, Pierre-Paul, Charles-Maurice de Tallyrand-Pertgord (1 75s1838), Prince de Benevent, 1817, 40, 41 Royal Porcelain Manufactoly, vase, ca. 1820, 42 Talbot, William Henry Fox, 7he Pencil of Nature, published 1844-46, 42>3 Triqueti, Henri, baron de, Portrait of a Woman, ca. 1850, 43 Unknown artist, French school, HenriZharlesManiglier, ca. 1850, 44 Valadier, Luigi, candelabra, pair, 1774, 38 Van Gogh, Vincent: Bouquet of Flowers in a Vase,June or July 1890 (.2),52, 53; Vase of Roses, May 1890, 52 Islam. Stefano Carboni, Marie Lukens Swietochowski, 1g17 leaf from manuscript of the Siyer-i Nebi (7he Life of the P>phet), The Meeting between the Shepherd and the Archangel Gabriel, Turkey, Ottoman, 16, 17 vessel, openworls, in shape of circular bowl, prob. Syria, Umayyad, 16

Medieval Europe. Charles T. Little,Jane Hayward, Timothy B. Husband, 1v19 leaf of diptych, Virgin and Child with Angels, north French, ca. 1340 60,19 ring, English or Italian, 14th cen., 19 stained glass panel, 7he Annunciation, German (Attenbergan-der-Lahn,Hesse), ca. 1300, 18, 19 NorthAmerica 1700 1900. Kevin J. Avery, Alice Cooney Frelinghuysen, Peter Kenny, Amelia Peck, Frances Gruber Safford, Thayer Tolles, Catherine Hoover Voorsanger, H. BarbaraWeinberg, 54 61 Forbes, John W., plateau, New York City, ca. 1825, 55 Goodwin, H., embroidered coat of arms, Misses Pattens' School, Haltford, Conn., ca. 1800 1810, 59 Herter Brothers, side chair, New York City, 187F82, 61 Hill, John William, TbePalisades, ca. 1871, 57 J. and J. G. Low Art Tile Works and W. L. Gilbert Clock Co., clock, ca. 1885, 59 Latrobe, Benjaniin Henry (designer), side chair, Philadelphia, Pa., ca. 1808, 54 Ott and Brewer, potpourri vase and cover, ca. 1884 90, 61 Roux, Alexander, sidebrd, New York City, ca. 185954, 56, 57 Saint-Gaudens, Augustus, Rodman de Ray Gilder, 1879, 58 Wiles, Irving R., wEbe Green Cushion, ca. 1895, 60 Renaissance and Baroqpue Europe. Susanne Boorsch, Keith Christiansen, William M. Griswold, Donald J. LaRocca, Walter Liedtke, Helen B. Mules, Nadine M. Orenstein, StuartW. Pyhrr, Olga Raggio, Clare Vincent, Alice Zrebiec, 2(W35 Altdorfer, Albrecht, Landscape zaitha Double Sproce, ca. 152s22, 21 Bellange, Jacques, Hortulana, 35 Carracci,Agostino or Annibale, Two Children Teasing a Cat, ca. 1590, 20 Chiari,Giuseppe, Batbsheba at Her Batb, ca. 1700, 34, 35 de Champaigne, Philippe, Portrait of Madame de Champaigne, ca. 1628, 28 design for a saddle plate, Italian (Milan), ca. 1575 80, 23 de' Foggini, Giovanni Battista: Bust of Grand D"ke Cosimo IIT Medici (164S1723), ca. 168345, 30, 31; Bust of Grand Pnnce Ferdinando de'Medici (166S1713), 32, 33 furnishing fabric, Italian, begin. of 17th cen., 28 Goltzius, Hendrick, 7he Sense of Smell, ca. 1595-1600, 24 Lirnosin,Leonard, HenUy1t, King of France, prob. ca. 1555 60, 22 Ruisdael, Jacob van, Dredging a Canal, 166(}65, 29 Strozzi, Bernardo, Saint Peter, 24 sword, hunting, Swiss, ca. 1600, 29 van de Venne, Adriaen, Each His Oum Pastime (Elsk Sijn Tijt-Verdnjff), prob. ca. 162935, 25 Vannucci, Pietro di Cristoforo, called Perugino, Landscape, ca. 1489, 21 Venneyen, Jan Comelisz., An Onental Banquet: Mulay Hasan and His Retinue at a Repast, ca. 1535, 22 Wtewael, Joachim, 7he Golden Age, 1605, 2g27 EwentiethCentu1y. EUiotBostwick Davis, MariaMorris Hambourg, J. StewartJohnson, Jennifer A. Lovenun, Liss M. Messinger, Sabine Rewald, Jeff L. Rosenheim, Nan Rosenthal, Lowrey S. Sials, H. BarbaraWeinberg, 62-79 Anshutz, Thomas P., A Rose, 1907,67 Braque, Georges, 7be Studio, 1939, 65 Burton, Riclond, Sapphire 51ein,1993, 79 Bush, Andrew, Untitled (Envelopes), 199s93, 76 Cadmus, Paul, 7be Seven Deadly Sins: Anger, 1947, 70 Dine, Jim, Two Palettes (Sears, Roebuck;Francis Picabia), 1%3, 72 Evans, WaLker, untitled instant color prints, 197974, 74 Henle, Jan, LaJibaffta , 1991-94, 77 Hodgkin, Howard, When did we go to Morocco.7,198S93, 78 James, Charles, wedding gown, 1949, 66 Landon, Edward, Coat Yard II, 1942, 64 LiberIllan,Alexander, Two Circles, 1950, 70
rO

MacIver, Loren,Hearth, 1957,68 Mackintosh, Charles Rennie:Peonies, 1920,63; washstand, 1904,62 Porter,Fairfield, the Trumpet Vine, 1958, 69 Pmtscher,Otto,plantstand,ca. 1900,64 Rickey,George, Space Churn with Triangles, 1969, 71 Rosenquist, James:Gift-WrappedDoll #16, 1992,73; GiJ}WrappedDoll #23, 1993,73 Sugimoto,Hiroshi,Boden Sea, Uttunl,1993,75 Rosenheim, Jeff L. See Thomas Ealldnsand the Melropolitan Museum of Art

Thomas Faklns and the MetropoliCan Museum of Art No. 3, 1-52 Eakins,SusanMacdowell 1891-92, attr.,ThomasEakinsinhisChestnutStreetstudio,ca. frontispiece detailshowing,from ThePathetic Song, 40; detailshowing, from TheArtist's Wife..., 41 Eakins, Thomas TheAgnew Clinic, 1889,38, 39 Arcadia, ca. 1883, 28, 29, 42, 45, 47 TheArtist'sWifeandHisSetterDog,ca. 188X89?,30, 31; detail,31, 41; photogravure of, 31 Carmelita Requena, 1869, 1s11, 42
The Champion Single Sculls CMa:)c Schmitt in a Single Scull),

187s71, 11, 12-13, 14, 42; detail,7; detail,self-portrait of ThomasEakinsrowing a scull, 4 Gardel, The ChessPlayers, 1876,8, 18-19, 37; detail,Bertrand 8; perspectivedrawingfor, ca. 187976, 18, 42
Clinch Mountain, Saltrille, Virginia, 1882, 46, 47 Cowbcty Singing, ca. 1892,32, 41 The Gross Clinic, 187976, 15, 16, 17-18, 39; detail,Dr.

SamuelDavid Gross,17;detail,ThomasEakins,17
Home-spun, 1881, 2926, 41 James Carroll Beckwith, 1904,38, 39, 40 JamesMacAlister(sketch), ca. 1895,33-34 John Biglin in a Single Scull, 1873,21-22, 41; detail,43

motionstudy:jumping,August27, 1884,SO Mrs. MatyArthur, 1900, 3g35 Negro Boy Dancing, 1878, 20, 22, 23, 41; detail,23 Nude, ca. 1882,47, 48 ThePathetic Song, 1881, 2g27, 42; detail,40 PushingforRail, 1874, 14-15, 38; detail,6 Signora Gomezd'Arza, 1901{)2, 35, 42 A StreetScene in Selle, 1870, 11 Taking Up the Net, 1881,27-28, 41 The Thinker:Portrait of Louis N. Keaton, 1900, 35, 36, 37, 39, 41; detail,37 7*omas Eakins andJ Laurie Wallace at the Shore, ca. 1882, 47, 49 Twopupils in GreekDress, ca. 1883,44, 47 7he WritingMaster, 1882,8, 1F20, 39, 41; detail,Benjamin Eakins,9 Young Girl Meditating (Fifty YearsAgo), 1877,20, 23, 24, 41 4 43 t'Thomas Eakinsand the Metropolitan Museumof Art," 'sThomas Eakins,Artist-Photographer, in the Metropolitan Museumof Art," 44-51 ThomasEakinsmemorial effiibition, 1917,39 Unknownartist: Crowellboys, Avondale,Penn.,ca. 1883; Crowellfamily,Avondale,Penn.,July4, 1883,51

Weinberg, H. Barbara. See Thomas Faklns and The


Metropolitan Museum of Art Copyright <) 1995 The Metropolitan Museum of An

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