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Funerary cone of Neferhotep
Egyptian
New Kingdom, Dynasty 18
1550–1295 B.C.
Object Place: Egypt, Possibly Thebes (Sheikh Abd el-Qurna)
Medium/Technique
Pottery
Dimensions
Height x diameter: 30 x 8.1 cm (11 13/16 x 3 3/16 in.)
Credit Line
Hay Collection—Gift of C. Granville Way
Accession Number72.1816
NOT ON VIEW
CollectionsAncient Egypt, Nubia and the Near East
ClassificationsArchitectural elements
Catalogue Raisonné
Davies & MacAdam 301
DescriptionFunerary cone of reddish clay with tapering cone element well preserved. Circular stamp on head with hieroglyphic text in undivided register to identify the owner. The text reads: "Fourth Prophet of Amen, Neferhotep, True-of-Voice" (Hm-nTr 4-nw n Imn nfr-Htp mAa xrw).
Funerary cones were components of a frieze, inserted above the doors of private tombs, particularly in the Theban region. They have been variously interpreted as: name-plates of sorts to identify the tomb owner, decorative memorials, boundary markers for a tomb, dummy bread loaves or meat offerings, symbolic roof beams, or (for the visible circular head) depictions of the sun disk.
For other examples of this tomb owner see: Res.72.339; Res.72.340; 72.1817; 72.1818; 72.1819.
Davies and Macadam, A Corpus of Inscribed Egyptian Funerary Cones (1957), type #301.
Funerary cones were components of a frieze, inserted above the doors of private tombs, particularly in the Theban region. They have been variously interpreted as: name-plates of sorts to identify the tomb owner, decorative memorials, boundary markers for a tomb, dummy bread loaves or meat offerings, symbolic roof beams, or (for the visible circular head) depictions of the sun disk.
For other examples of this tomb owner see: Res.72.339; Res.72.340; 72.1817; 72.1818; 72.1819.
Davies and Macadam, A Corpus of Inscribed Egyptian Funerary Cones (1957), type #301.
ProvenanceProbably from Thebes (Sheikh Abd el-Qurna). By 1836: Robert Hay Collection, Linplum, Scotland; 1863: to his son, Robert James Alexander Hay; 1868-1872: Way Collection, Boston (purchased by Samuel A. Way through London dealers Rollin and Feuardent, 27 Haymarket); 1872: given to the MFA by Samuel's son, C. Granville Way.
(Accession date: June 28, 1872)
(Accession date: June 28, 1872)