Fragment of Inscription, Pyramid Temple of Amenemhat I
ca. 1981–1952 B.C.
Medium
Tempera on paper
Dimensions
h. 25.4 cm (10 in); w. 23.5 cm (9 1/4 in) scale unrecorded
Classification
Facsimile, Amenemhat I temple
Period
Middle Kingdom
Department
Egyptian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1908
Accession Number
INST.1979.2.22
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate tempera copy captures a fragment of inscription from the Pyramid Temple of Amenemhat I, the founder of Egypt’s 12th Dynasty and a key ruler who helped restore stability after the First Intermediate Period. Created around1981–1952.C. during the Middle Kingdom, such temple inscriptions often recorded royal titles, offerings, and divine associations, reflecting the pharaoh’s efforts to legitimize his reign through monumental architecture and sacred texts. The unknown copyist used tempera on paper to faithfully reproduce the original hieroglyphs, preserving details that might otherw...