Thursday, 6 October 2011

Sculptures of Women in the Pharaonic Period

The position of women in the Ancient Egyptian society was nearly equal to that of men. Sculpture and relief show women as mostly equal in height to men, which represents respect for the women.

The husband was happy to be shown in a family group with his wife or wives and children, or with his daughters only.

The sculptures of Rahotep and Nofret, the triad of Menkaure, the dwarf Seneb with his family, Ukh-hotep and family, the group statue of Sobekhotep, Meresankh and daughters, Sennefer and Senay, Ak and Hetep-her Nofret and the stela of Antef all depict Ancient Egyptian family groups.

Sculptures have been found that depict many notable women from the Pharaonic period. The wife of general Nakhtmin from the end of the Eighteenth Dynasty was the model for an exquisite statue. The sculpture shows the body and details of the pleated dress as well as the sensitive facial features of this beautiful lady.

Another woman who had a position in secular life was Lady Thuya, mother of Queen Tiye. Her beautiful cartonnage mask is exhibited in the Egyptian Museum.

Senay, the wife of the Mayor of Thebes, Sennefer, is portrayed together with her husband and daughter in a wonderful sculpture. She is shown as equal in height to her husband.

Manana, the wife of Khaemwaset, is depicted gracefully beside her husband in the sculpture wearing a close-fitting dress, pleated at the arms, and a long wig with chevron, or inverted V-shaped, curls.

The young Toma was shown in her small statue as a symbol of eternal beauty, wearing a wig with a side lock of youth and a beaded necklace.

A sculpture of a swimming girl on a cosmetic spoon shows the slenderness, beauty, and athletic figure of a young girl .

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