Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Libyan Appliqué
(Ancient Egypt and Nubia )
To reinforce their power visually, Egyptian royal monuments often displayed depictions of groups of foreigners bound as prisoners or in defensive positions while Egyptian sovereigns attacked. Representatives of various Nubian groups were frequently included, along with Babylonians, Libyans, Syrians, Hittites, Canaanites, Philistines, Amorites, and even Greeks. While some nations were conquered and captured, others were vassal states that offered tribute or were bound to Egypt by diplomatic treaties. To depict the foreign groups, Egyptian artists standardized their clothing and hairstyles into set “types” and emphasized any perceived physical differences from Egyptians. In the case of this appliqué, which was probably attached to an object bleonging to the king, the bands crossed over the chest, the long hair (which originally had a side-lock), and the short beard identify the individual as a Libyan.
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.
Dikran Kelekian, New York and Paris [date and mode of acquisition unknown] [said to be from Lower Egypt]; Henry Walters, Baltimore, 1909, by purchase; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.
Exhibitions
| 2004-2005 | Pharao siegt immer: Krieg und Frieden im Alten Ägypten (Pharaoh is Always Winning: War and Peace in Ancient Egypt). Gustav-Lübcke-Museum, Hamm; Hamburger Museum for Archaeology, Helms Museum, Hamburg; Reiss-Engelhorn Museum, Mannheim, Mannheim. |
Conservation
| Date | Description | Narrative |
|---|---|---|
| 4/30/1957 | Treatment | cleaned |
| 5/18/1961 | Examination | examined for other |
| 12/6/1963 | Examination | examined for technical study |
| 4/6/1964 | Treatment | examined for condition; cleaned |
| 8/19/1998 | Examination | survey |
Geographies
Egypt (Place of Origin)
Measurements
1 15/16 x 1 3/8 x 9/16 in. (4.9 x 3.5 x 1.5 cm);
mount: 3/4 x 1 1/2 x 1 1/2 in. (1.9 x 3.8 x 3.8 cm)
Credit Line
Acquired by Henry Walters, 1909
Location in Museum
Accession Number
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
54.2151