The sculpture depicts a man squatting upon a round cushion, with his folded arms resting on his knees and on a sistrum of Hathor. The sistrum displays the face of the goddess with the cow's ears. The man is wearing a wig consisting of a multitude of small curls and a small beard, both of which have been rendered in a stylized form. Of his garments only a knee-length pleated kilt may be discerned, as well as sandals. In his right hand, the man is holding the so-called djed-pillar, the hieroglyph for 'duration'. His left hand may have held the sign for 'life', the loop-handled cross. The broad, flat face must be an idealized depiction, as we cannot imagine this to be a portrait. The proportions of the body are excellent. The upper arms are distinct and the curve of the back displays a harmonious line. Fortunately, damage to the statue is only slight - the nose and the left elbow have suffered damage and the right upper arm and the left hand which was attached to it are missing entirely. The missing elements of the inscriptions can easily be restored with certainty.
1) (An offering) which the king gives to Iusaes, who hears everything, and to Hathor-Nebethetepet, so that they may provide life, well-being and health and a good old age on earth, so that they will provide a good, complete and proper burial in the necropolis of Heliopolis after 2) reaching 110 years on earth, for the Ka of the Divine Father, the initiated in the secrets of Heliopolis, the Majordomo, templescribe of the house of Re, Scribe of the Table of the Lord of the Two Lands and Prophet, Khai-hapi, true of voice, the son of Nebui-hetep of the house of Seth, who presides over the Heliopolitan one. 3) The Divine Father and Majordomo of the house of Re, Khai-hapi 4) (An offering which the king gives to) Hathor-nebethetepet, mighty of victory, for the 5) Divine Father, the Hereditary Count, Majordomo and Scribe of the Table of the 6) House of Re, Khai-hapi true of voice, 7) the son of Nebui-hetep true of voice, of Heliopolis. 8) ... Khai-hapi 9) (An offering which the king gives to) Iusaes, mighty of victory, for the 10) Divine Father, the Hereditary Count of Heliopolis, Majordomo and Temple Scribe 11) of the House of Re, Khai-hapi true of voice, 12) the son of Nebui-hetep true of voice, of Heliopolis.
Bibliography
Wreszinski, W., Aegyptische Inschriften aus dem k.k. Hofmuseum in Wien (1906) 144: II, 5;
Wildung, D., Die Rolle ägyptischer Könige im Bewußtsein ihrer Nachwelt I, (Munchener Ägyptologische Studien (MÄS) 17, 1969) 120, A. 4.
Kunsthistorisches Museum (KHM). Führer durch die Sammlungen. Wien. 1988.
Komorzynski, E., In Wien ausgegrabene altägyptische Denkmäler, Österreichische Lehrerzeitung (ÖLZ), Juni/Juli 1952, 107.
Satzinger, H., Das Kunsthistorische Museum in Wien. Die Ägyptisch-Orientalische Sammlung. Zaberns Bildbände zur Archäologie 14. Mainz. 1994.
Rogge, E., Statuen des Neuen Reiches und der Dritten Zwischenzeit. Corpus Antiquitatum Aegyptiacarum (CAA) Wien 6 (1990), 126-134.
)
)
)