Funerary Figurine of Ramesses II

ca. 1292–1190 B.C.E.

Brooklyn Museum photograph

Brooklyn Museum photograph

1 of 13

Object Label

Ramesses II, one of Egypt's mightiest pharaohs, left countless monuments throughout the Nile Valley. Ironically, however, his tomb in the Valley of the Kings at Thebes has yielded few funerary figurines (known as shabtis, shawabtis, or ushebtis, depending on the spelling in the text on the particular example), having been plundered in Dynasty XX and not yet completely excavated. This is one of only three wooden examples known. Inscribed with Chapter 6 of the Book of the Dead, the text associated with funerary figurines, it resembles many fine statuettes from Deir el Medineh, the Theban home of the craftsmen who built and decorated the royal tombs
in the Valley of the Kings.

Caption

Funerary Figurine of Ramesses II, ca. 1292–1190 B.C.E.. Wood, 12 1/2 x 3 7/16 in. (31.8 x 8.7 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 08.480.5. (Photo: Brooklyn Museum)

Title

Funerary Figurine of Ramesses II

Date

ca. 1292–1190 B.C.E.

Dynasty

Dynasty 19

Period

New Kingdom

Geography

Reportedly from: Thebes (Deir el-Bahri), Egypt

Medium

Wood

Classification

Funerary Object

Dimensions

12 1/2 x 3 7/16 in. (31.8 x 8.7 cm)

Credit Line

Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund

Accession Number

08.480.5

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