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Stela (Commemorative Stone) Depicting the Funeral of Ramose

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

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  • A work made of sandstone and pigment.

Date:

New Kingdom, Dynasty 19, reign of Ramesses II (about 1279–1213 BCE)

Artist:

Egyptian; Probably Armant or Thebes (now Luxor), Egypt

About this artwork

Ancient Egyptians used mummification and ritual to transform the body into a new entity called a sah, a crucial step in preparing the deceased for life after death. A ceremony called the Opening of the Mouth, depicted here, was a pivotal step in the process. As the name suggests, the rite restored function to the deceased’s mouth, allowing them to eat and drink in the afterlife. At the right end of this scene, a jackal-headed figure holds Ramose’s anthropoid (human-shaped) coffin upright. A pair of priests in front of the coffin burn incense and pour libations, while a third recites sacred texts from a papyrus scroll.

Status

On View, Gallery 50

Department

Arts of Africa

Culture

Ancient Egyptian

Title

Stela (Commemorative Stone) Depicting the Funeral of Ramose

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 1279 BCE–1213 BCE

Medium

Sandstone and pigment

Inscriptions

Thou art pure as Horus is pure, Horus is pure as thou art pure; thou art pure as Suti (Set) is pure, Suti is pure as thou art pure.." continuing with the same phrases in the names of Thoth and even of a fourth diety. Two lines of inscription below contain a prayer for offerings addressed to Osiris, Isis, Anubis, Hathor and other dieties. Deceased is a Priest of Montu, Ramose. His wife is named Henut-mehyt.

Dimensions

111.8 × 84.5 × 12.1 cm (44 × 33 1/4 × 4 3/4 in.)

Credit Line

Museum Purchase Fund

Reference Number

1920.264

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https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/78165/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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