Item 1994-105-1 - Wooden Egyptian Block with Hieroglyphs

Fragment of wood, painted over gesso in red and blue on a yellow ground, with some white on the reverse. The front has at the top a frieze of stylized uraei, alternating with Maat feathers: below, a metopal border, which also flanks the main scene. This shows two deities at an offering table on which are Nile vases: at each side djed pillars. The seated figure on the left has the head of a cobra surmounted by a feather, holds crook and flail and is probably a personification of Maat. Above are two columns of epithets, which read 'Great God[dess], Lady of Heaven'. On the right is a standing figure, headless apart from the Feather of Truth, representing one of the transformations of Re on his journey across the
sky. The two columns to the right can be read 'Revered before Osiris, foremost in the divine booth, the good god, lord of...' and 'They grant all good and pure offerings, and all good and sweet things...' The decoration on the reverse,
included three larger standing figures, but these are much damaged. 21st-22nd Dynasty (1085-730 BC). 8 5/8"x10 1/8" (219x257 mm). Little of the blue remains on the front, which also has minor surface damage consolidated and is stained as shown. Slot for a dowel in top right corner. On a mahogany plinth.