Photo of collection object Handle of Model Ax Inscribed for Amunhotep III
Handle of Model Ax Inscribed for Amunhotep III, ca. 1390–1352 B.C.E.. Lapis lazuli, 1 15/16 x 1 3/8 in. (4.9 x 3.5 cm). Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 37.280E. Creative Commons-BY.

Handle of Model Ax Inscribed for Amunhotep III

ca. 1390–1352 B.C.E.

Maker Unknown

Egyptian, Classical, Ancient Near Eastern Art

Foundation Deposits

In addition to commissioning new buildings, Egyptian kings occasionally claimed existing structures such as temples or palaces as their own.


The most common way for a king to do this was to substitute his own name for that of the original builder in the inscriptions. When a king commissioned a new structure, he buried objects in the four corners of the foundation to be certain that the gods would remember the true builder and that later kings could not find and reinscribe them. These so-called foundation deposits usually included plaques with the king’s name, as well as models of objects used to erect the building, such as grinders, hoes, and rockers needed to move large stones.
Maker/Artist
Maker Unknown
Classification
Tool
Formatted Medium
Lapis lazuli
Medium
lapis, lazuli
Locations
Reportedly from: Saqqara, Egypt
Dynasty
Dynasty 18
Dimensions
1 15/16 x 1 3/8 in. (4.9 x 3.5 cm)
Accession Number
37.280E
Credit Line
Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund
Rights Statement
Creative Commons-BY
Dominant Colors

Have a concern, a correction, or something to add?

Similar Artworks

musefully

Open source Elasticsearch & Next.js museum search.

Let's Stay Connected