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Funerary Stele of Tembu

Egyptian (Artist)
ca. 1500-1470 BCE (New Kingdom, early 18th dynasty)
limestone with polychrome paint
(Ancient Egypt and Nubia )

This round topped funerary stela of Tembu is carved in very low relief and brightly painted in red, yellow, blue, and black. The decoration comprises of two registers of offering scenes and a register of inscription on the bottom. The top depicts two Wadjit eyes flanking a shen-ring and water ripples with a bowl. Below this Tembu is seated with his wife on a typical 18th-Dynasty double chair. Under the chair and attached to it by a leash, is a pet monkey, holding a mirror and a cosmetic vase, which is a typical feature of New Kingdom stelae. The table in front of the couple holds loosely arranged offerings of bread, beef, vegetables and lotus buds and two jugs on stands below the table. One of the daughters of the couple stands in front of the large wine jar decorated with a "nymphaea caerulea" and presents a bowl of wine to her parents. The middle register depicts the rest of the family, including Tembu's sons Teti, Tetimose, Teiy, and Ahmose, holding various flowers and two daughters Senetnefer and Henut, holding flowers. Three of the sons wear short military kilts in accordance with their titles, while the fourth son wears a long kilt and a shirt. Between the daughters and the sons, is placed an extremely large jar decorated with a lotus flower, and topped with a clay stopper.

Inscription

[Translation] His daughter Mahu; Superintendent Tembu; His wife, mistress of the house Taneane(t); His daughter Senetnefer; His daughter Henut; His son, captain Teti; His son, captain of the ship, Tetimes; His son, captain Teiy; His son herdsman? Ahmose; An offering which the king gives, to Osiris, lord of Busiris, Great god, lord of Abydos, that he may give invocation offerings of oxen, fowl, and every good and pure thing on which the god lives to the Ka of the superintendent, Tembu, his wife, mistress of the house Tanene(t), repeating life, mistress of honor

Provenance
Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object. Learn more about provenance at the Walters.

Henry Walters, Baltimore [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.

Exhibitions

1998-2001 Highlights from the Collection. The Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore.

Conservation

Date Description Narrative
6/24/1971 Treatment cleaned
3/31/1997 Examination survey
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Geographies

Egypt, Western Thebes (Place of Origin)

Measurements

26 3/4 x 17 11/16 x 4 3/4 in. (68 x 45 x 12 cm)

Credit Line

Acquired by Henry Walters

Location in Museum

Centre Street: Second Floor: Egyptian Art

Accession Number

In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.

22.92

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