Wooden Ancient Egyptian statue made in Egypt.
$471.90
This masterpiece of Egyptian wood carving was discovered in a hidden chamber at the side of the passage leading into the rock cut tomb of the royal chief steward Meketre,…
- Description
Description
This masterpiece of Egyptian wood carving was discovered in a hidden chamber at the side of the passage leading into the rock cut tomb of the royal chief steward Meketre, who began his career under King Nebhepetre Mentuhotep II of Dynasty 11 and continued to serve successive kings into the early years of Dynasty 12. Together with a second, very similar female figure (now in the Egyptian Museum, Cairo) this statue flanked the group of twenty two models of gardens, workshops, boats, and a funeral procession that were crammed into the chamber’s narrow space.
Striding forward with her left leg, the woman carries on her head a basket filled with cuts of meat. In her right hand she holds a live duck by its wings. The figure’s iconography is well known from reliefs of the Old Kingdom in which rows of offering bearers were depicted. Place names were often written beside these figures identifying them as personifications of estates that would provide sustenance for the spirit of the tomb owner in perpetuity. The woman is richly adorned with jewelry and wears a dress decorated with a pattern of feathers, the kind of garment often associated with goddesses. Thus, this figure and its companion in Cairo may also be associated with the funerary goddesses Isis and Nephthys who are often depicted at the foot and head of coffins, protecting the deceased.
All the accessible rooms in the tomb of Meketre had been plundered in ancient times, but, early in 1920, the Museum’s excavator, Herbert Winlock had his workmen clean out the accumulated debris in order to obtain an accurate floor plan of the tomb. It was during this cleaning operation that the small hidden chamber was discovered, filled with its almost perfectly preserved models and the two statues. In the division of finds between the Egyptian Government and the Metropolitan Museum, half of the contents went to the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, and half came to New York.
Frequent Asked Questions
Our artisans work with authentic materials — basalt, limestone, granite, alabaster, porcelain, and cast bronze — sourced locally in Egypt. Every piece is a handcrafted replica, not an original antiquity. Each product page lists the specific material, weight, and approximate dimensions, and small variations in color, texture, and finish are natural to handmade work.
Yes. We regularly make custom replicas, personalized cartouches with your name in hieroglyphs, scaled-up museum replicas, and one-off commissions. Email us a description or reference image with your preferred size, material, and budget, and we'll send back a quote and timeline — custom projects usually take 2–6 weeks depending on complexity.
Returns are accepted within 30 days in original condition; the buyer covers return shipping. If an item arrives damaged or significantly different from its listing, send us photos within 7 days of delivery for a replacement or full refund. Custom and personalized pieces are non-refundable unless they arrive defective.
We ship worldwide, with standard delivery typically 7–14 business days after dispatch. Because every piece is stone, ceramic, or metal, we allow 1–3 business days to pack each order in a custom protective crate before it ships.
Yes — we ship worldwide. Shipping is calculated at checkout based on your destination and the item's weight. Any customs duties or import taxes are set by your country and are the buyer's responsibility, so they are not included in the checkout total.
As soon as your order is dispatched we'll email you a tracking number. You can also follow your shipment any time from your account under Track Your Order. If you haven't received tracking within a few days of ordering, contact us and we'll look into it right away.
Contact us with clear photos within 7 days of delivery and we'll arrange a replacement or a full refund. Every piece is packed in a custom protective crate to minimize the risk of damage in transit — but if something does go wrong, we'll make it right.
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