Funerary stela of "follower [of the king ?]" Megegi and his wife Henit
Unknown Artist
ca. 2059–2051 B.C.
![Funerary stela of "follower [of the king ?]" Megegi and his wife Henit by Unknown Artist](https://images.artheonmuseum.org/met/eg/thumb/funerary-stela-of-follower-of-the-king-megegi-and-544007.webp)
Medium
Limestone, paint
Dimensions
20 11/16 x 12 7/16 x 4 5/16 in. (52.6 x 31.6 x 10.9 cm)
Classification
Stela, Megegi, Henit, Attendant
Period
First Intermediate Period
Department
Egyptian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1914
Accession Number
14.2.6
Tags
Art Historical Context
This funerary stela, carved limestone and traces of paint around 2059–2051 B.C., honors Megegi—a "follower of the king" whose title hints at mid-level service in Dynasty 11—and his wifeit. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Art department, it exemplifies the modest yet poignant memorials of Egypt's First Intermediate Period, time of political fragmentation following the Old Kingdom's grandeur. During this transitional era, as regional rulers vied for power before the Middle Kingdom's reunification, stelai like this served vital cultural roles. Placed in tombs, they ensured the decease...