The block statue is a type of
memorial
A memorial is an object or place which serves as a focus for the memory or the commemoration of something, usually an influential, deceased person or a historical, tragic event. Popular forms of memorials include landmark objects or works of a ...
statue that first emerged in the
Middle Kingdom of Egypt
The Middle Kingdom of Egypt (also known as The Period of Reunification) is the period in the history of ancient Egypt following a period of political division known as the First Intermediate Period. The Middle Kingdom lasted from approximatel ...
. The block statue grew in popularity in the
New Kingdom
New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created.
New or NEW may refer to:
Music
* New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz
Albums and EPs
* ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013
* ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, ...
and the
Third Intermediate Period
The Third Intermediate Period of ancient Egypt began with the death of Pharaoh Ramesses XI in 1077 BC, which ended the New Kingdom, and was eventually followed by the Late Period. Various points are offered as the beginning for the latt ...
, and by the
Late Period, this type of statue was the most common. These statues were used in temples typically as funerary monuments of non-royal yet important individuals. According to primary sources from the New Kingdom, the posture of the statue was possibly intended to resemble a guardian seated in the gateway of a temple. In addition, their simple shape provided ample flat surfaces for inscriptions of offerings and invocations.
Block statues consist of a man squatting with his knees drawn up to his chest and his arms folded on top his knees. Often, these men are wearing a "wide cloak" that reduces the body of the figure to a simple block-like shape. Most of the detail is reserved for the head of the individual being depicted. In some instances the modeling of the limbs has been retained by the sculptor. There are two basic types of block statues: ones with the feet completely covered by the cloak and ones with the feet uncovered.
In 1903, more than 350 block statues were discovered by the French archaeologist
Georges Legrain
Georges Albert Legrain (4 October 1865, in Paris – 22 August 1917, in Luxor) was a French Egyptologist.
Life and work
From 1883 to 1890 Legrain was a student at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, but he also studied Egyptology at that time, ...
as part of the "Karnak cachette".
History of the Egyptian block statue
In Egypt, statues of the seated
scribe
A scribe is a person who serves as a professional copyist, especially one who made copies of manuscripts before the invention of automatic printing.
The profession of the scribe, previously widespread across cultures, lost most of its promi ...
appear as long ago as the
1st Dynasty. Seated scribe statues evolved over time and some also came to incorporate,
Thoth
Thoth (; from grc-koi, Θώθ ''Thṓth'', borrowed from cop, Ⲑⲱⲟⲩⲧ ''Thōout'', Egyptian: ', the reflex of " eis like the Ibis") is an ancient Egyptian deity. In art, he was often depicted as a man with the head of an ibis or a ...
, or the
baboon
Baboons are primates comprising the genus ''Papio'', one of the 23 genera of Old World monkeys. There are six species of baboon: the hamadryas baboon, the Guinea baboon, the olive baboon, the yellow baboon, the Kinda baboon and the chacma ba ...
(as the scribal god), into the statue presentation. So, also the complexities of the block statue developed, and evolved. Combinational themes became common, and likewise abbreviated, (simpler, and less costly, – detailed), also developed.
Examples of the statue for
Senemut
Senenmut ( egy, sn-n-mwt, sometimes spelled Senmut, Senemut, or Senmout) was an 18th Dynasty ancient Egyptian architect and government official. His name translates literally as "mother's brother."
Family
Senenmut was of low commoner birth, ...
, of
Queen Hatshepsut's reign, have extensive stories in hieroglyphs. They also have the added head of the child
Neferure
Neferure (or Neferura) was an Egyptian princess of the Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt. She was the daughter of two pharaohs, Hatshepsut and Thutmose II. She served in high offices in the government and the religious administration of Ancient Egy ...
upon the top surface. They are finely executed, in a medium or high finish. As an example of the Block statue, Senemut's is one of the typical types:
:a story of the honored individual on the front surface;
:a presentation of the individual, in statue form (in this case with an additional, lesser individual);
:a
theme
Theme or themes may refer to:
* Theme (arts), the unifying subject or idea of the type of visual work
* Theme (Byzantine district), an administrative district in the Byzantine Empire governed by a Strategos
* Theme (computing), a custom graphical ...
. For Senemut, his theme appears to be: ''His honoring, His personal story, and the lesser individual, who was his responsibility.''
Historical magic: the seated statue "stands up"
Since the Egyptian belief system, contained concepts framed in a world of
magic
Magic or Magick most commonly refers to:
* Magic (supernatural), beliefs and actions employed to influence supernatural beings and forces
* Ceremonial magic, encompasses a wide variety of rituals of magic
* Magical thinking, the belief that unrela ...
and a formal framework of
art expression, the ''block statue'' had a magical purpose. Obviously ideas evolved, but eventually the idea came for the statue that it was always – seated in place, and at a moments notice, the individual could stand erect and "go out into the day." This concept is quite similar to the
Book of the Dead
The ''Book of the Dead'' ( egy, 𓂋𓏤𓈒𓈒𓈒𓏌𓏤𓉐𓂋𓏏𓂻𓅓𓉔𓂋𓅱𓇳𓏤, ''rw n(y)w prt m hrw(w)'') is an ancient Egyptian funerary text generally written on papyrus and used from the beginning of the New Kingdom ...
, where the individual is:
:returning, and entering..(to/from cemetery Neter-Khert)..the daily returning for events wonderful, to the loved, created habits, (all), sitting in the Hall,
Senet
Senet or senat ( egy, znt, translation=passing; cf. Coptic language, Coptic ⲥⲓⲛⲉ /sinə/ "passing, afternoon") is a board game from ancient Egypt. The earliest representation of senet is dated to E from the Mastaba of Hesy-Re, while sim ...
-playing... returning as a living-soul (
Ba), Chapter VII, lines 1-3.5. (The Book of the Dead, subtitle: The Coming Forth by Day.)
The deceased individual Egyptian person returns each day, to perform their usual daily life duties. It is also equivalent to the earlier concept of the
false door, where the
ba-soul returned each day, to find the food offering.
Block statue: examples
The following examples are found in the Ref. Section that follows:
*Block statue for
Bakenkhonsu
Bakenkhonsu ("Servant of Khonsu") was a High Priest of Amun in ancient Egypt during the reign of Pharaoh Ramesses II.Dodson, Aidan (2001). ''The Hieroglyphs of Ancient Egypt''. New York: Barnes & Noble. Hardcover: , p. 30. Information about hi ...
, (Bak, eN,
Chons
Khonsu ( egy, ḫnsw; also transliterated Chonsu, Khensu, Khons, Chons or Khonshu; cop, Ϣⲟⲛⲥ, Shons) is the ancient Egyptian god of the Moon. His name means "traveller", and this may relate to the perceived nightly travel of the Moon a ...
, nsu), who was "High Priest of Amun", for
Ramesses II
Ramesses II ( egy, wikt:rꜥ-ms-sw, rꜥ-ms-sw ''Rīʿa-məsī-sū'', , meaning "Ra is the one who bore him"; ), commonly known as Ramesses the Great, was the third pharaoh of the Nineteenth Dynasty of Egypt. Along with Thutmose III he is oft ...
, who possibly usurped this block statue. See Ramses II Ref.
*Block statue of Satepihu, from
Abydos,
18th Dynasty. Extensive hieroglyphs: horizontal, front; vertical columns on sides. See Wilkinson Ref., pg 30.
*Block statue for the
scribe
A scribe is a person who serves as a professional copyist, especially one who made copies of manuscripts before the invention of automatic printing.
The profession of the scribe, previously widespread across cultures, lost most of its promi ...
Rey. A lesser statue; it has few hieroglyphs, but the front surface has him holding a
sistraform shrine (a ''
naos'').
*Block statue of
Vizier
A vizier (; ar, وزير, wazīr; fa, وزیر, vazīr), or wazir, is a high-ranking political advisor or minister in the near east. The Abbasid caliphs gave the title ''wazir'' to a minister formerly called ''katib'' (secretary), who was a ...
Khay,
Karnak
The Karnak Temple Complex, commonly known as Karnak (, which was originally derived from ar, خورنق ''Khurnaq'' "fortified village"), comprises a vast mix of decayed temples, pylons, chapels, and other buildings near Luxor, Egypt. Construct ...
,
19th Dynasty
The Nineteenth Dynasty of Egypt (notated Dynasty XIX), also known as the Ramessid dynasty, is classified as the second Dynasty of the Ancient Egyptian New Kingdom period, lasting from 1292 BC to 1189 BC. The 19th Dynasty and the 20th Dynasty fur ...
. This Block statue fuses the form of the Block statue with that of "shrine" (Shrine #1, Upper Egyptian Shrine). The lintel base, has a single row of
hieroglyphs
A hieroglyph (Greek for "sacred carvings") was a character of the ancient Egyptian writing system. Logographic scripts that are pictographic in form in a way reminiscent of ancient Egyptian are also sometimes called "hieroglyphs". In Neoplatonis ...
, that extend to the left and to the right (starting at front, center).
[Reading Egyptian Art, Wilkinson, p 140.]
*Block statue of
12th Dynasty
The Twelfth Dynasty of ancient Egypt (Dynasty XII) is considered to be the apex of the Middle Kingdom by Egyptologists. It often is combined with the Eleventh, Thirteenth, and Fourteenth dynasties under the group title, Middle Kingdom. Some s ...
official,
Senwosret
Senusret (Greek: ''Sesostris''; also transcribed as ''Senwosret'' based on Coptic; and as ''Usertesen'' in older literature) is the name of several Ancient Egyptians:
* Senusret I, pharaoh (12th Dynasty)
* Senusret II, pharaoh (12th Dynasty)
* Se ...
-senebefni, in medium brown quartzite. Originally the statue was brought to France by
Napoleon
Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
, in 1799; it is now located at the
Brooklyn Museum
The Brooklyn Museum is an art museum located in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. At , the museum is New York City's second largest and contains an art collection with around 1.5 million objects. Located near the Prospect Heights, Crown H ...
. The statue has an extensive
hieroglyphic story, and a lesser statue of his wife at the front, base. See Reeves Ref., pg. 14.
*Block statue of
Senemut
Senenmut ( egy, sn-n-mwt, sometimes spelled Senmut, Senemut, or Senmout) was an 18th Dynasty ancient Egyptian architect and government official. His name translates literally as "mother's brother."
Family
Senenmut was of low commoner birth, ...
and Princess
Neferure
Neferure (or Neferura) was an Egyptian princess of the Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt. She was the daughter of two pharaohs, Hatshepsut and Thutmose II. She served in high offices in the government and the religious administration of Ancient Egy ...
,
Queen Hatshepsut's daughter, –
New Kingdom
New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created.
New or NEW may refer to:
Music
* New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz
Albums and EPs
* ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013
* ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, ...
,
18th Dynasty, height 1.005 m, medium to deep ''black granite,'' high to extreme polish. Extensive hieroglyphic story: sides, front, top, and the tops of feet, at front base. (Front: 7 horizontal '
registers', and 6 vertical to the feet.) See Hagen Ref., pg. 60.
*Block statue of Amenemhet,
Amenemhat II
Nubkaure Amenemhat II, also known as Amenemhet II, was the third pharaoh of the 12th Dynasty of ancient Egypt. Although he ruled for at least 35 years, his reign is rather obscure, as well as his family relationships.
Family
Archaeological fi ...
(?), –
18th Dynasty, height 0.8 m, dk granite, high polish. Front: eight (8) horizontal registers of hieroglyphs. See Hagen Ref., pg 101.
Image:S F-E-Cameron Scribe British Museum.JPG, Statue of a scribe, British Museum
The British Museum is a public museum dedicated to human history, art and culture located in the Bloomsbury area of London. Its permanent collection of eight million works is among the largest and most comprehensive in existence. It docum ...
Image:W%C3%BCrfelfigur Senenmut.jpg, Senemut
Senenmut ( egy, sn-n-mwt, sometimes spelled Senmut, Senemut, or Senmout) was an 18th Dynasty ancient Egyptian architect and government official. His name translates literally as "mother's brother."
Family
Senenmut was of low commoner birth, ...
Image:%C3%84gyptisches Museum Leipzig 217.jpg, 18th dynasty
Image:Louvre 122007 56.jpg, A 26th dynasty army general, Pa-di-Chahdedet
File:Egypte louvre 112 statue.jpg, Block statue for Khay, Scribe for the general staff, showing titulary god of the scribe
A scribe is a person who serves as a professional copyist, especially one who made copies of manuscripts before the invention of automatic printing.
The profession of the scribe, previously widespread across cultures, lost most of its promi ...
, Thoth
Thoth (; from grc-koi, Θώθ ''Thṓth'', borrowed from cop, Ⲑⲱⲟⲩⲧ ''Thōout'', Egyptian: ', the reflex of " eis like the Ibis") is an ancient Egyptian deity. In art, he was often depicted as a man with the head of an ibis or a ...
-(a baboon)
File:Haroua.JPG, Harwa
The ancient Egyptian official Harwa was the Chief steward of the God's Wife of Amun, Amenirdis I, during the 25th Dynasty.
His tomb, TT37, is located in El-Assasif, part of the Theban Necropolis, on the West Bank of the Nile, opposite to Luxor ...
, attendant to the Divine Adoratrice of Amun
The Divine Adoratrice of Amun ( Egyptian: '' dwꜣt nṯr n jmn'') was a second title – after God's Wife of Amun – created for the chief priestess of the ancient Egyptian deity Amun. During the first millennium BCE, when the holder of this ...
, Amenirdis I
Amenirdis I (throne name: ''Hatneferumut'') was a God's Wife of Amun during the 25th Dynasty of ancient Egypt., p.238 Originating from the Kingdom of Kush, she was the daughter of Pharaoh Kashta and Queen Pebatjma, and was later adopted by Shepenu ...
File:Block statue of Hor Ägyptisches Museum Berlin.jpg, Block statue made from greywacke, 23rd Dynasty, 775 BC
File:Statue of Bakenkhonsu 2017-09-12.jpg, Block statue of Bakenkhonsu
Bakenkhonsu ("Servant of Khonsu") was a High Priest of Amun in ancient Egypt during the reign of Pharaoh Ramesses II.Dodson, Aidan (2001). ''The Hieroglyphs of Ancient Egypt''. New York: Barnes & Noble. Hardcover: , p. 30. Information about hi ...
Block statue: (photos)
ImageArticle BlkStatue: Ruiu
Block Statue of Senemut, see:
Senemut
Senenmut ( egy, sn-n-mwt, sometimes spelled Senmut, Senemut, or Senmout) was an 18th Dynasty ancient Egyptian architect and government official. His name translates literally as "mother's brother."
Family
Senenmut was of low commoner birth, ...
References
*Freed, Rita; Denver Museum; Egyptian Antiq. Org. ''
Ramses II
Ramesses II ( egy, rꜥ-ms-sw ''Rīʿa-məsī-sū'', , meaning "Ra is the one who bore him"; ), commonly known as Ramesses the Great, was the third pharaoh of the Nineteenth Dynasty of Egypt. Along with Thutmose III he is often regarded as t ...
, The Great Pharaoh And His Time,'' Rita E. Freed, Denver Museum of Natural History, (2nd Printing for Denver), (Printed: Lithographic Printing Co., City of Memphis, TN), c 1987.
*Hagen, R. Hagen, R. ''Egypt: People, Gods, Pharaohs,'' Rose-Marie & Rainer Hagen, (Barnes and Noble Books, New York), c 2003, (originally: Taschen, GmbH, Koln, c 2003, 1999); pg. 60; pg. 101.
*Reeves, Nicholas. ''Ancient Egypt, The Great Discoveries, a Year-by-Year Chronicle,'' Nicholas Reeves, (Thames and Hudson Ltd, London), c 2000. See pgs 14-17, 1799, The
Rosetta Stone
The Rosetta Stone is a stele composed of granodiorite inscribed with three versions of a Rosetta Stone decree, decree issued in Memphis, Egypt, in 196 BC during the Ptolemaic dynasty on behalf of King Ptolemy V Epiphanes. The top and middle te ...
: Cracking the
Hieroglyphic
Egyptian hieroglyphs (, ) were the formal writing system used in Ancient Egypt, used for writing the Egyptian language. Hieroglyphs combined logographic, syllabic and alphabetic elements, with some 1,000 distinct characters.There were about 1,00 ...
Code, ''1799 The Tomb of Amenophis III, 1799
Denon's Papyrus.''
*Wilkinson, Richard. ''
Reading Egyptian Art: A Hieroglyphic Guide to Ancient Egyptian Painting and Sculpture,'' Richard H. Wilkinson, with 450 Illustrations, (Thames & Hudson Ltd, London), c 1992. Uses:
Gardiner's Sign List
Gardiner's Sign List is a list of common Egyptian hieroglyphs compiled by Sir Alan Gardiner. It is considered a standard reference in the study of ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs.
Gardiner lists only the common forms of Egyptian hieroglyphs, but h ...
; (for Hieroglyphs).
External links
Brooklyn Museum websiteLouvre block statue of ''Wahibre''-(Wah,ib,re)Louvre
The Louvre ( ), or the Louvre Museum ( ), is the world's most-visited museum, and an historic landmark in Paris, France. It is the home of some of the best-known works of art, including the ''Mona Lisa'' and the ''Venus de Milo''. A central l ...
statue.
Enlarge in Window; accessed 6 February 2007.
Block Statue of Senemut, see:
Senemut
Senenmut ( egy, sn-n-mwt, sometimes spelled Senmut, Senemut, or Senmout) was an 18th Dynasty ancient Egyptian architect and government official. His name translates literally as "mother's brother."
Family
Senenmut was of low commoner birth, ...
Hatshepsut: from Queen to Pharaoh a fully digitized exhibition catalog from The Metropolitan Museum of Art Libraries, which contains material on block statues
'Gifts for the Gods: Images from Egyptian Temples a fully digitized exhibition catalog from The Metropolitan Museum of Art Libraries, which contains material on block statues
{{DEFAULTSORT:Block Statue (Egyptian)
Egyptian artefact types
Sculptures of ancient Egypt