Metal Fittings probably for an extra-sepulchral funerary figure

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This unusual set of metal fittings most likely came from some sort of funerary figure that was placed in a cult setting other than the tomb. Finds of such figures are relatively uncommon, so there are few comparanda for this object. It clearly belonged to a woman from the elite class. The fittings include her head and upper torso; two arms; and a human-headed bird with outstretched wings. She is shown with a long wig, large round earrings, a necklace, and a fillet of some sort adorned with a lotus blossom, signifying rebirth. The two arms would have been folded on her chest, embracing the human-headed ba bird, symbolizing one aspect of her intrinsic personality.

Egyptian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met collection of ancient Egyptian art consists of approximately 30,000 objects of artistic, historical, and cultural importance, dating from about 300,000 BCE to the 4th century CE. A signifcant percentage of the collection is derived from the Museum's three decades of archaeological work in Egypt, initiated in 1906 in response to increasing interest in the culture of ancient Egypt.

Metropolitan Museum of Art