The Ptolemaic Kingdom or Ptolemaic Empire was an Ancient Greek polity based in Egypt during the Hellenistic period. It was founded in 305 BC by the Macedonian Greek general Ptolemy I Soter, a companion of Alexander the Great, and ruled by the Ptolemaic dynasty until the death of Cleopatra VII in 30 BC. Reigning for nearly three centuries, the Ptolemies were the longest and final dynasty of ancient Egypt, heralding a distinctly new era for religious and cultural syncretism between Greek and Egyptian culture.
Ptolemaic
Mortuary Masks
The mummy masks are made of cartonnage which consists of many layers of liner cloth, papyrus coated with stucco (plaster) and painted. it was molded carefully to look like the deceased. After the deceased had been embalmed, wrapped in many layers of linen and adore with jewelry, the mask was placed over the head and the upper part of the body and then the mummy was covered again with layers of linen and left only the face of the mask uncovered. Mummy masks were first used during the first intermediate period (2155-213 B.C) and widely spread during Greek Roman period, but they were decreased to be used during the fourth century AD. When Christian burial customs became wide spread.
Mummies Faces
Portrait of Two Brothers, Roman period 2nd Century AD. These two brothers, represented on an unusual round panel of wood, may have died together, their purple cloaks, fastened with brooches, indicate that they may have been warriors.
Mummies
Funerary Shroud
Sarcophagi
Mortuary Items
Wooden Statuary
Statue of Akhtihotep
Far Left: This statue was found together with other eight (one depicted a woman) in the serdab (hidden tomb chamber) of the tomb of Akhtihotep, in 1940 by Abdessalam Hussein. Hieroglyphs on the base identify Akhtihotep as privy to the secret(s) of the king. He had many other titles like director of wab-priests of Sekhmet and Khnum, senior provincial administrator, and director of the mitr servants. 5th Dynasty about 2465-2323 BC Saggara tomb of Akhthotep near the boat pits of King Unas wood
Ancient Egyptian artists used a wide selection of materials, both local and imported, from very early in their history to create statues. They used native stones like basalt, diorite, granite, limestone, and metals such as copper, gold and silver. Egyptian artists also used wood for their statues. These, included the native acacia, tamarisk, sycamore fig as well as fir, cedar and other conifers imported from Syria. Artisans excelled at puzzling together small, irregular pieces of wood and pegged them into place to create statues. Most pigments were derived from local minerals. White was often made from gypsum, black from carbon, reds and yellows from iron oxides, blue and green from azurite and malachite, and bright yellow (representing gold) from orpiment.
Kaaper, Wife of Mitri, Wife of Kaaper
Left: Bust of the chief lector priest Kaaper, called ‘Sheikh El-Balad. This statue, found at Saqqara, also came from the tomb of Kaaper and depicts him in his youth, as a tall, slim young man. The statue would have stood at the back of the offering chapel in his tomb, along with the other statue of Kaaper. 2545-2323
Center: Standing statue of the wife of the boundary official Mitri. Mitri was a high official and provincial governor Eleven exceptionally large wooden statues were found in the serdab (hidden chamber) of his tomb at Saqqara. Three of them belonged to a woman identified as Miris wife.
Right: Upper part of statue of wife of the chief lector priest Kaaper, called ‘Sheikh El-Balad’ This statue was discovered in the same mastaba as the statue of Kaaper. It is therefore thought to belong to his wife. It shows a woman with a wig with a straight hairstyle and central parting. She wears a tight dress and the usekh, a wide collar, which are both typical of Old Kingdom fashion. 5th Dynasty, about 2465-2323, Saqqara (mastaba of Kaaper wood)
Standing statue of Kaaper,
called ‘Sheikh El-Balad’ Kaaper was chief lector priest in charge of reciting prayers for the deceased in temples and funerary chapels. His statue, originally plastered and painted, was found in 1860 near the pyramid of King Userkaf at Saqqara. The level of realism with which Kaaper is represented contrasts with the idealism in which kings and members of the royal family were depicted. He is shown as a rotund man, probably, reflecting his affluent status. His realistic eyes are made of rock crystal, calcite and copper. Sheikh el-Balad, Arabic for the ‘chief of the village’, was the name given to this statue when it was discovered by the Egyptian excavators of the French archaeologist Auguste Mariette, as it resembled the chief of their own village. 5th Dynasty, about 2465-2323 BC, Saqqara (mastaba of Kaaper), wood (eyes: rock crystal, calcite and copper)
Servant Statue of Niankhpepikem
Niankhpepikem was overseer of Upper Egypt, chancellor of the king of Lower Egypt, overseer of prophets. Here he is shown carrying a backpack, the earliest representation of this type of bag. In his tomb at Meir, in a hole in the burial chamber, were hidden the largest number of servant figures so far found in an Old Kingdom tomb. 6th Dynasty (King Pepi I Meryre), about 2289-2255 BC, Meir, wood, pigment.
The Offering Bearer
Middle Kingdom, 11th dynasty, (2050-1786 BC) Tomb of Meket-Re, South of Deir-al-Bahari, Luxor, painted wood and copper. The graceful offering bearer carries basket containing four jars of beer of wine. in her right hand, a live duck was represented. A net of cylindrical and round beads are stitched on her white linen dress.
Wooden Swan
Middle Kingdom, Dynasty 12 Dahshur, El Giza, Wood. Unlike various kinds of geese and ducks, swans are not common in Egypt. some kinds of Swans were flocked to the country, especially in winter. Depictions of them are accordingly rare. The Egyptian term for ‘swan’ is uncertain till now, though (transliteration) has been proposed to refer the whooper swan, based on the name’s similarity to a coptic word meaning ‘to sing’.
Cosmetics
Cosmetics Grinding Pallets
Rhombic palette with grindstone were used to grind pigments. Ground malachite, red ochre or galena was mixed with resins, oils or fats to form a paste that could be used as eye makeup. The earliest palettes are geometric in shape. Nagada L about 3850-3650 BC.
Palette fragment with name of King Narmer The name of King Narmer is written here with the hieroglyphs of a catfish (Nar and a chisel (mer). The fragment is from a state paleme typical of this period. Dynasty King Name, about 3000 BC.
Palette with grinding stone and palette with stylised cow’s head Animal-shaped palettes were used from 3600 BC onwards. The highly stylized relief decoration showing the head of a cow may represent the goddess Bat. Early Dynastic about 2960-2549 BC.
Animal-shaped palettes. Predynastic about 4000- 2960 BC. Nag el-Der sane Predinastic about 400 Zoomorphic or animal-shaped palettes were popular. They represent turtles, fish, hippopotamus, crocodiles, ducks, and elephants.
These palettes were found in tombs and some have holes so that they could be suspended.
Spinning Weaving & Sewing
Medical
