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A Right Hand from a Sarcophagus Lid

Egypt, 3rd Intermediate Period, ca. 1070 - 664 B.C.

Wood

Height: 9.0 cm

Length: 17.9 cm

Depth: 4.0 cm

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The roughly life-sized right hand, clenched into a fist and including the adjoining wrist, probably belonged to a wooden anthropomorphic sarcophagus lid. A hole through the back of the hand and at the base of the wrist served to attach it. Remains of a wooden peg are still preserved in one of the holes. Two small round holes in the palm. Between the thumb and index finger, as well as on the underside of the hand, there is a rectangular mortise into which a bipartite object was inserted. For pharaohs, the royal insignia of the crook (heka-scepter) and the flail were frequently used, while for non-royal mummies symbols such as the djed-pillar, the ankh-sign, or papyrus scrolls were common. The surface has a wax-like appearance with reddish-brown paint, partially with black discolorations. There is a chip on the index finger and two smaller surface losses.

PROVENANCE

Formerly priv. coll. Peter Itsvart (1943-2023), Paris, collected between 1975-1990. Partly legible notes in black ink on the reverse of the object: "... Thebes February 1880".

NOTE

For a complete sarcophagus lid with a hand that was carved separately and then attached, cf. Louvre Paris, inv. no. E 2826. As an example of an individual hand fragment cf. Louvre Paris, inv. no. E 22327 (both online).

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