Relief fragment, tomb of Mereri
Unknown Artist
ca. 2100–2030 B.C.
Medium
Limestone
Dimensions
H. 11.6 × W. 91 × D. 7.3 cm (4 9/16 × 35 13/16 × 2 7/8 in.)
Classification
Relief fragment, tomb of Mereri
Period
First Intermediate Period
Department
Egyptian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Egypt Exploration Fund, 1898
Accession Number
98.4.3j
Art Historical Context
This delicate limestone relief fragment hails from the tomb of Mer, a figure from Egypt's First Intermediate Period (. 2100–2030 B.C.), specifically Dynasty 9. Measuring a slender 11.6 cm high and nearly a meter wide, it once adorned the walls of a provincial tomb, likely near Heracleopolis, the era's political heart. Crafted by an unknown ancient artisan, such fragments offer rare glimpses into a time of fragmentation following the Old Kingdom's grandeur, when local rulers commissioned tombs to affirm their status and ensure eternal provisions. In Egyptian funerary art, limestone reliefs lik...