Egyptian Limestone Relief

Late 18th – Early 19th Dynasty, c. 1320-1380 B.C
Height: 25.5cm Length: 38.2cm

This very beautiful and extremely meaningful slab comes from a tomb of an official, probably of the courtyard/temple sort, known from the cemetery lying to the south of the Unas Causeway at Saqqara.

The owner is identified as a man named Ipi. In raised relief the dignitary is represented on the left. He is seated and holds in the left hand a fan. He is dressed in a finely folded court garb and wearing an elaborate court wig. Ipy is further identified as being a scribe, but his carrying a fan relates to one of his titles given in the inscription above: “Fan bearer on the King’s Right Hand”, implying a close connection to the pharaoh. On the right Ipi is shown with a tray of offerings including bread ad ducks; and below another table of offerings including a bouquet of flowers. He is also depicted in a court dress on the opposite side, but now shaven headed.

The inscription above this gives him the name of a Priest of Ptah ie. The creator god of Memphis, making perfect sense of the feasible provenance of this piece – Memphis was the ancient capital of Egypt and Saqqara its necropolis. In the field, seven columns of inscription in hieroglyphic characters translate into:
“The Prince and Count, first companion between other companions, grand in his function, grand at the palace, notable of the head of all subjects, the fan to the right of the king, is the scribe of the king, the scribe of the king is loved by him… Ipy” .