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<em>Headless Statuette of a Scribe</em>, ca. 1938–1875 B.C.E. Gneiss, 6 7/16 x 4 13/16 x 5 9/16 in. (16.4 x 12.3 x 14.2 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 73.87.1. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.73.87.1_erg456.jpg)
Headless Statuette of a Scribe, ca. 1938–1875 B.C.E. Gneiss, 6 7/16 x 4 13/16 x 5 9/16 in. (16.4 x 12.3 x 14.2 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 73.87.1. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.73.87.1_erg456.jpg)
<em>Headless Statuette of a Scribe</em>, ca. 1938–1875 B.C.E. Gneiss, 6 7/16 x 4 13/16 x 5 9/16 in. (16.4 x 12.3 x 14.2 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 73.87.1. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.73.87.1_erg456.jpg)

Headless Statuette of a Scribe, ca. 1938–1875 B.C.E. Gneiss, 6 7/16 x 4 13/16 x 5 9/16 in. (16.4 x 12.3 x 14.2 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 73.87.1. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.73.87.1_erg456.jpg)

<em>Headless Statuette of a Scribe</em>, ca. 1938–1875 B.C.E. Gneiss, 6 7/16 x 4 13/16 x 5 9/16 in. (16.4 x 12.3 x 14.2 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 73.87.1. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.73.87.1_NegL625_19_print_bw.jpg)

Headless Statuette of a Scribe, ca. 1938–1875 B.C.E. Gneiss, 6 7/16 x 4 13/16 x 5 9/16 in. (16.4 x 12.3 x 14.2 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 73.87.1. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.73.87.1_NegL625_19_print_bw.jpg)

<em>Headless Statuette of a Scribe</em>, ca. 1938–1875 B.C.E. Gneiss, 6 7/16 x 4 13/16 x 5 9/16 in. (16.4 x 12.3 x 14.2 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 73.87.1. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.73.87.1_NegA_print_bw.jpg)

Headless Statuette of a Scribe, ca. 1938–1875 B.C.E. Gneiss, 6 7/16 x 4 13/16 x 5 9/16 in. (16.4 x 12.3 x 14.2 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 73.87.1. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.73.87.1_NegA_print_bw.jpg)

<em>Headless Statuette of a Scribe</em>, ca. 1938–1875 B.C.E. Gneiss, 6 7/16 x 4 13/16 x 5 9/16 in. (16.4 x 12.3 x 14.2 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 73.87.1. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.73.87.1_NegL625_20_print_bw.jpg)

Headless Statuette of a Scribe, ca. 1938–1875 B.C.E. Gneiss, 6 7/16 x 4 13/16 x 5 9/16 in. (16.4 x 12.3 x 14.2 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 73.87.1. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.73.87.1_NegL625_20_print_bw.jpg)

<em>Headless Statuette of a Scribe</em>, ca. 1938–1875 B.C.E. Gneiss, 6 7/16 x 4 13/16 x 5 9/16 in. (16.4 x 12.3 x 14.2 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 73.87.1. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.73.87.1_NegL625_31_print_bw.jpg)

Headless Statuette of a Scribe, ca. 1938–1875 B.C.E. Gneiss, 6 7/16 x 4 13/16 x 5 9/16 in. (16.4 x 12.3 x 14.2 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 73.87.1. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.73.87.1_NegL625_31_print_bw.jpg)

<em>Headless Statuette of a Scribe</em>, ca. 1938–1875 B.C.E. Gneiss, 6 7/16 x 4 13/16 x 5 9/16 in. (16.4 x 12.3 x 14.2 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 73.87.1. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.73.87.1_NegB_print_bw.jpg)

Headless Statuette of a Scribe, ca. 1938–1875 B.C.E. Gneiss, 6 7/16 x 4 13/16 x 5 9/16 in. (16.4 x 12.3 x 14.2 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 73.87.1. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.73.87.1_NegB_print_bw.jpg)

<em>Headless Statuette of a Scribe</em>, ca. 1938–1875 B.C.E. Gneiss, 6 7/16 x 4 13/16 x 5 9/16 in. (16.4 x 12.3 x 14.2 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 73.87.1. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.73.87.1_NegL625_28_print_bw.jpg)

Headless Statuette of a Scribe, ca. 1938–1875 B.C.E. Gneiss, 6 7/16 x 4 13/16 x 5 9/16 in. (16.4 x 12.3 x 14.2 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 73.87.1. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.73.87.1_NegL625_28_print_bw.jpg)

<em>Headless Statuette of a Scribe</em>, ca. 1938–1875 B.C.E. Gneiss, 6 7/16 x 4 13/16 x 5 9/16 in. (16.4 x 12.3 x 14.2 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 73.87.1. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.73.87.1_NegL625_24_print_bw.jpg)

Headless Statuette of a Scribe, ca. 1938–1875 B.C.E. Gneiss, 6 7/16 x 4 13/16 x 5 9/16 in. (16.4 x 12.3 x 14.2 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 73.87.1. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.73.87.1_NegL625_24_print_bw.jpg)

<em>Headless Statuette of a Scribe</em>, ca. 1938–1875 B.C.E. Gneiss, 6 7/16 x 4 13/16 x 5 9/16 in. (16.4 x 12.3 x 14.2 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 73.87.1. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.73.87.1_NegL625_27_print_bw.jpg)

Headless Statuette of a Scribe, ca. 1938–1875 B.C.E. Gneiss, 6 7/16 x 4 13/16 x 5 9/16 in. (16.4 x 12.3 x 14.2 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 73.87.1. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.73.87.1_NegL625_27_print_bw.jpg)

<em>Headless Statuette of a Scribe</em>, ca. 1938–1875 B.C.E. Gneiss, 6 7/16 x 4 13/16 x 5 9/16 in. (16.4 x 12.3 x 14.2 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 73.87.1. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.73.87.1_NegL625_23_print_bw.jpg)

Headless Statuette of a Scribe, ca. 1938–1875 B.C.E. Gneiss, 6 7/16 x 4 13/16 x 5 9/16 in. (16.4 x 12.3 x 14.2 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 73.87.1. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.73.87.1_NegL625_23_print_bw.jpg)

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Headless Statuette of a Scribe

Egyptian, Classical, Ancient Near Eastern Art

On View: Egyptian Orientation Gallery, 3rd Floor
The Egyptians valued literacy even more than physical strength or military prowess. Individuals wishing to immortalize their wisdom and education frequently commissioned statues of themselves as scribes, professional men whose income derived from their great learning rather than physical labor. Images of scribes seated with papyrus rolls in their laps were placed in tombs as early as the Fourth Dynasty (circa 2625–2500 B.C.E.).
MEDIUM Gneiss
  • Place Made: Egypt
    • DATES ca. 1938–1875 B.C.E.
    DYNASTY Dynasty 12
    PERIOD Middle Kingdom
    DIMENSIONS 6 7/16 x 4 13/16 x 5 9/16 in. (16.4 x 12.3 x 14.2 cm)  (show scale)
    COLLECTIONS Egyptian, Classical, Ancient Near Eastern Art
    ACCESSION NUMBER 73.87.1
    CREDIT LINE Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund
    EXHIBITIONS
    MUSEUM LOCATION This item is on view in Egyptian Orientation Gallery, 3rd Floor
    CAPTION Headless Statuette of a Scribe, ca. 1938–1875 B.C.E. Gneiss, 6 7/16 x 4 13/16 x 5 9/16 in. (16.4 x 12.3 x 14.2 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 73.87.1. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.73.87.1_erg456.jpg)
    IMAGE overall, CUR.73.87.1_erg456.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph, 9/5/2007
    "CUR" at the beginning of an image file name means that the image was created by a curatorial staff member. These study images may be digital point-and-shoot photographs, when we don\'t yet have high-quality studio photography, or they may be scans of older negatives, slides, or photographic prints, providing historical documentation of the object.
    RIGHTS STATEMENT Creative Commons-BY
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    <em>Headless Statuette of a Scribe</em>, ca. 1938–1875 B.C.E. Gneiss, 6 7/16 x 4 13/16 x 5 9/16 in. (16.4 x 12.3 x 14.2 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 73.87.1. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.73.87.1_erg456.jpg)

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