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Lintel Fragment Depicting Iniuia and Iuy Worshipping Deities

A work made of limestone and pigment.
CC0 Public Domain Designation

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  • A work made of limestone and pigment.

Date:

New Kingdom, Dynasty 18, reign of Tutankhamun (about 1336–1327 BCE)

Artist:

Egyptian; Tomb of Iniuia and Iuy, Saqqara, Egypt

About this artwork

This lintel fragment depicts a couple kneeling with their hands raised in an Egyptian gesture of praise, worshipping the funerary deities Osiris and Isis. It once crowned a doorway in the tomb chapel of Iniuia, a high-ranking official who served under King Tutankhamun, and his wife, Iuy. Hieroglyphs separating the couple from the gods state that they are praising Osiris so that he will give them the “sweet breath” they need to thrive in the afterlife. Ancient Egyptian religion required worshippers to perform acts of devotion toward gods and goddesses in order to receive their favors. Here, that devotion is captured in stone, guaranteeing that Iniuia and Iuy will benefit from it forever.

Status

On View, Gallery 50

Department

Arts of Africa

Culture

Ancient Egyptian

Title

Lintel Fragment Depicting Iniuia and Iuy Worshipping Deities

Place

Egypt (Object made in)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

Made 1336 BCE–1327 BCE

Medium

Limestone and pigment

Inscriptions

"Giving praise to Osiris, kissing the earth for Wenenefer, so that he might give sweet breath to the scribe of the silver- and gold-treasuries of the Lord of the Two Lands Iniuia, true of voice, and his wife (lit. sister), the mistress of the house Iuy, favored by Hathor the msitress of the sycamore."

Dimensions

24.8 × 71.1 × 10.8 cm (9 13/16 × 28 × 4 5/16 in.)

Credit Line

Gift of Henry H. Getty, Charles L. Hutchinson, and Robert H. Fleming

Reference Number

1894.246

IIIF Manifest  The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world.

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https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/121774/manifest.json

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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