Upper part of a statue of Iqer

Middle Kingdom

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 107

This torso and head were discovered separately in the debris of a large tomb at Deir el-Bahri on the west bank at Thebes: the torso was on the floor level of a large courtyard; and the head, along with part of the statue's pedestal, was found in the fill of the burial shaft. On the fragmentary base were the remains of an inscription that included the owner's name, Iqer.

Stylistically the statue, which follows the traditions of the late Old Kingdom, can be dated to the late 11th or early 12th Dynasty. The lack of a back pillar suggests that this bust was part of a seated statue. Here Iqer crosses his arms over his chest with his hands open and flat, in a gesture likely directed toward the afterlife judges to whom he would have to justify his deeds in life.

Upper part of a statue of Iqer, Limestone with traces of color

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