Hairdressing Scene
Egyptian, Classical, Ancient Near Eastern Art
On View: Old Kingdom to 18th Dynasty, Egyptian Galleries, 3rd Floor
These fragments originally belonged to a scene showing royal hairdressers attending Queen Neferu (see accompanying reconstruction). The relief on the right depicts Neferu, identified as “The King’s Wife,” wearing an elaborate beaded collar. Behind her the hairdresser Henut has already pinned one strand of hair in place and twists another one. The relief on the left depicts the hairdresser Inu holding a triple lock of hair that she will attach to Neferu’s coiffure.
MEDIUM
Limestone, pigment
DATES
ca. 2008–1957 B.C.E.
DYNASTY
late Dynasty 11
PERIOD
Middle Kingdom
INSCRIPTIONS
The name is probably a variant writing of Ranke, Personnamen, 38,5.
ACCESSION NUMBER
51.231
CREDIT LINE
Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund
CATALOGUE DESCRIPTION
Fragment of a limestone tomb relief. In sunk relief, woman facing right braiding strand of hair held in her hands in front of face. Inscribed "The hairdresser, Yennu." Colors; wig, black; eye, white and black; strand of hair and inscription, pale blue. Red guide lines remaining.
Condition: Figure of woman preserved only to breast. Breaks at upper right edge seem to be ancient defect.
CAPTION
Egyptian. Hairdressing Scene, ca. 2008–1957 B.C.E. Limestone, pigment, 5 3/16 x 9 5/8 in. (13.2 x 24.5 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 51.231. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 51.231_SL1.jpg)
IMAGE
overall, 51.231_SL1.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph
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RIGHTS STATEMENT
Creative Commons-BY
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we welcome any additional information you might have.
Queen Neferu's hair is cool. Can you tell me about it?
Extensions would be made out of several different materials, including horse hair and even human hair, which is what the extensions we have are made of.
Thanks, that was cool.
I'm a student and would like to know more about this piece.
Of course! This and the nearby reliefs come from the Tomb of Queen Neferu of the 11th Dynasty. Neferu was the wife of Kine Mentuhotep II.
This relief and the similar one nearby show Queen Neferu with her two hairdressers.
The person in the piece you sent is one of the hairdresser's who is holding a bundle of a hair extension or wig. You can see an actual preserved bundle of hair extensions nearby.
I see, thank you
