Object owner details: MFA accession number: 31.777

Findspot: Eastern Cemetery, Pit G 7946 G, debris of pit

Limestone

Expedition Measurements: Height: man: 67.1 cm + base; woman: 57.1 cm + base; base: 6.4 cm Width: 31.8 cm; base: 29.4 cm Length: base: 24.9 cm Thickness: base: 6.4 cm

Description: Old Kingdom limestone pair statue of man and woman standing side by side, woman's right hand on right arm of man and left arm around back of man with hand appearing on left side of man, both figures supported at back by broad pilaster, man larger than woman (woman only a little higher than shoulders of man); man: left foot advanced, leg connected by supporting wall with pilaster on back, arms hanging down, hands clenched at sides holding roll (handkerchief ?), whole figure except wig and [kilt] and woman's left hand painted red, other colors painted over red, wide full wig parted in middle hangs down at back to top of pilaster but without touching shoulders (in front view) and not covering earlobes, wig painted black directly on stone except for narrow edge on forehead that overlays red, face painted red with eyebrows and eyelashes painted black over red, white of eye left red, iris painted dark brown over red, moustache thin black line on upper lip, [broad collar] necklace (3.5 cm wide) painted white over red with traces of blue color, probably four bands of blue painted over white and red, outlined in black lines over white and red, nipples in relief painted black, [kilt] (not covering knees) painted white; woman: standing straight up with feet side by side but not touching each other, right arm crossed over torso holding man's right lower arm with out-stretched hand, left arm around back of man with hand appearing on his left side at waist, whole figure painted yellow except wig and skirt, wide full wig (only a little smaller than man's wig) hangs down to shoulders and covers ears, face painted yellow, eyebrows and eyelashes painted black over yellow, white of eye left yellow, iris painted dark brown over yellow, pupil painted black, traces of black outlines of broad [collar] necklace, upper part of dress comes down in V (outlined in red) between breasts and held over shoulders with bands, traces of black outlines on right shoulder, black line under breasts with traces of circular decoration beneath, bracelet (17 mm wide) on right wrist with zig-zag lines of red and black between two bands formed by two red lines; inscription: names, [GLYPHS] Nefu and Khenmetsetju, inscribed on top of base and [GLYPHS] on front part of pilaster between figures below man's right hand; front and proper right side of base separate pieces, these two pieces fastened with three wood pegs each (in antiquity), male figure: nose and parts of lips and part of back of wig broken off, part of left knee and below broken off. Illustration: Yes with hieroglyphs. Illustration scale: 1:1; 1:2; 1:5

Harvard University–Boston Museum of Fine Arts Expedition

Selected Published References:
Fischer, Henry G. Egyptian Women of the Old Kingdom and of the Heracleopolitan Period. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000, p. 70, n. 170 (incorrectly identified as "MFA 31.77"). Fischer, Henry G. Varia Nova. Egyptian Studies 3. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1996, p. 23, n. 70. Fischer, Henry G. "An Elusive Shape within the Fisted Hands of Egyptian Statues." Metropolitan Museum Journal 10 (1975), p. 13. Porter, Bertha, and Rosalind L.B. Moss. Topographical Bibliography of Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphic Texts, Reliefs, and Paintings 3: Memphis (Abû Rawâsh to Dahshûr). Oxford: The Clarendon Press, 1931. 2nd edition. 3: Memphis, Part 1 (Abû Rawâsh to Abûsîr), revised and augmented by Jaromír Málek. Oxford: The Clarendon Press, 1974, p. 207.