Statue of the Steward Meri Seated

Statue of the Steward Meri Seated

Period:Middle KingdomDynasty:Dynasty 11Date:ca. 2124-1981 B.C.Geography:Probably from Egypt, Upper Egypt; ThebesMedium:LimestoneDimensions:21 7/8 × 6 1/4 × 10 13/16 in. (55.5 × 15.8 × 27.4 cm)Credit Line:The Trustees of the British Museum, London

This statue is a three-dimensional example of the style known from reliefs of the early reign of Mentuhotep II, with a short upper body, high waist, long legs, and almond-shaped eyes with flaring cosmetic lines. Based on their similarity to a hieroglyph for “assemble,” the

crossed arms may have a funerary meaning, perhaps expressing the confidence that Meri’s body would be made whole again and thus ready for eternal life. The statue likely originates from a tomb in western Thebes

Met Museum

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