Archaeology & Antiquities
Naophorous Statue of the Finance Officer and Overseer of Fields, Horwedja
Sculpture
Details
- Author / creator
- Egypt, Late period (715–332 BCE), Dynasty 27, reign of Darius I (522–486 BCE)
- Object type
- Sculpture
- Date or period
- 521–486 BCE
- Dimensions summary
- Overall: 43 × 14 × 23.2 cm
- Site or findspot
- Giza, Egypt
- Cultural period
- Ancient
- Place of origin
- Egypt
- Acquisition method
- Purchase
- Credit line
- Purchased with the Ashcombe City Council acquisitions budget, 1920
About this object
Naophorous (naos.bearing) statues show the subject holding a naos, or shrine, containing an image of a deity, in this case the god Ptah of Memphis. These statues were very popular during the Late Period. Almost invariably they are of hard stone, made to last for eternity. As finance officer under Darius I, Horwedja was in a good position to afford such a monument. Darius I was the second Persian king to rule over Egypt and the only one who seems to have had a genuine appreciation of the country. Egypt prospered under his rule, and the arts flourished.
Materials and technique
Graywacke
