Model Grinder Inscribed for Amunhotep II
ca. 1426–1400 B.C.E.
Brooklyn Museum photograph
Object Label
Foundation Deposits
In addition to commissioning new buildings, Egyptian kings occasionally claimed existing structures such as temples or palaces as their own.
The most common way for a king to do this was to substitute his own name for that of the original builder in the inscriptions. When a king commissioned a new structure, he buried objects in the four corners of the foundation to be certain that the gods would remember the true builder and that later kings could not find and reinscribe them. These so-called foundation deposits usually included plaques with the king’s name, as well as models of objects used to erect the building, such as grinders, hoes, and rockers needed to move large stones.
In addition to commissioning new buildings, Egyptian kings occasionally claimed existing structures such as temples or palaces as their own.
The most common way for a king to do this was to substitute his own name for that of the original builder in the inscriptions. When a king commissioned a new structure, he buried objects in the four corners of the foundation to be certain that the gods would remember the true builder and that later kings could not find and reinscribe them. These so-called foundation deposits usually included plaques with the king’s name, as well as models of objects used to erect the building, such as grinders, hoes, and rockers needed to move large stones.
Caption
Model Grinder Inscribed for Amunhotep II, ca. 1426–1400 B.C.E.. Egyptian alabaster (calcite) , 1 9/16 × 1 × 3 9/16 in. (4 × 2.5 × 9 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 36.621.1. (Photo: Brooklyn Museum)
Gallery
Not on view
Gallery
Not on view
Title
Model Grinder Inscribed for Amunhotep II
Date
ca. 1426–1400 B.C.E.
Dynasty
Dynasty 18
Period
New Kingdom
Geography
Reportedly from: Giza, Egypt
Medium
Egyptian alabaster (calcite)
Classification
Dimensions
1 9/16 × 1 × 3 9/16 in. (4 × 2.5 × 9 cm)
Credit Line
Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund
Accession Number
36.621.1
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