Publishing a funerary Stela in the Egyptian Museum in Tokyo

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Associate professor in Guidance Department, Faculty of Tourism and Hotels, Fayoum University

Abstract

The paper publishes of a funerary stela which is now exhibited in the Shibuya Egyptian Museum at Tokyo and registered with the inv. no. AEM1043. It is made of limestone and measure about H. 28.4 cm W. 18.0 cm H.  Its provenance is the Serapium of Saqqara with unknown dating.  It is a flat top stela and divided into two registers. It shows the Apis bull in the recess at the top standing in a small naos. The first register shows a kingly figure presents offerings before the enthroned Osiris, and Isis stands behind, while the second one portrays an interesting depiction of a female maid is taking care of the dead's feet. Unfortunately, the stela lacks an inscription text to facilitate recognizing for the identity, character and give a precise dating. The paper investigates its funerary scenes and figure out a precise dating through its funeral art. The paper concludes that the stela is most often relates to the deceased woman, as one of the Greek elites in Memphis during the 4th century BC.

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