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Funerary cone of Djeser-ka
Egyptian
New Kingdom, Dynasty 18–20
1550–1070 B.C.
Medium/Technique
Pottery
Dimensions
Length x diameter: 15.9 x 7 cm (6 1/4 x 2 3/4 in.)
Credit Line
Hay Collection—Gift of C. Granville Way
Accession NumberRES.72.276
NOT ON VIEW
CollectionsAncient Egypt, Nubia and the Near East
ClassificationsArchitectural elements
Catalogue Raisonné
Davies & MacAdam 559
DescriptionFunerary cone of pinkish-buff clay with tapering cone element partly intact. Head end heavily battered, originally carried a stamp with three horizontal lines of hieroglyphic text with dividing lines, of which only approximately half remains. Text known from parallels: identifies the owner as "[Scribe of Grain Accounting] of Amen, [Djeser-ka]" ([sS Hsb-it] n Imn [Dsr-kA]).
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 (including complete ones) of same owner see: Res. 72.267, Res.72.268, Res.72.269, Res.72.270, Res.72.271, Res.72.273, Res.72.274, Res.72.275, Res.72.277, Res.72.1767, 72.1767.
Davies and Macadam, A Corpus of Inscribed Egyptian Funerary Cones (1957), type #559.
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 (including complete ones) of same owner see: Res. 72.267, Res.72.268, Res.72.269, Res.72.270, Res.72.271, Res.72.273, Res.72.274, Res.72.275, Res.72.277, Res.72.1767, 72.1767.
Davies and Macadam, A Corpus of Inscribed Egyptian Funerary Cones (1957), type #559.
ProvenanceBy 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, 1782)
(Accession Date: June 28, 1782)