Head of a King, possibly Amememhat IV
A king's face in a striped headcloth, the tip of the nose broken off: a late 12th Dynasty limestone head thought to be Amenemhat IV. Full commentary ↓
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Head of a King, possibly Amememhat IV is a stone object by an unknown maker (ca. 1814–1805 B.C. suggested) in the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art. It measures H. 14 cm (5 1/2 in.).
In the pictureThis is the face of a king wearing a striped headcloth (nemes). The eyes are large and the mouth small, and the tip of the nose and patches of the surface have broken away. The band of the headcloth above the forehead and the striped lappets falling on either side survive. It is a small head, 14cm high.
BackgroundThe nemes was a headcloth only the king could wear, so even without a name it is clear this head belonged to a king. Because the features resemble those of the kings of the late 12th Dynasty, it is thought to be Amenemhat IV, but this is not certain. Royal faces of this period were moving back from the lined expression of Senwosret III toward a younger, softer look, and this head belongs to that trend.
Puzzle tipThe stripes of the headcloth are the best clue. The direction of the stripes differs from place to place, so trying a piece against them narrows down its spot. Fit the eye, nose and mouth pieces first, then frame the edges with the dark background pieces below and the light background pieces above. 48 pieces is about right.
- Period
- Middle Kingdom
- Dynasty
- Dynasty 12 (?)
- Medium
- Limestone
- Dimensions
- H. 14 cm (5 1/2 in.)
- Credit line
- Rogers Fund, 1908
Source: The Metropolitan Museum of Art ↗
Stories about this work
- Four Egyptian 12th Dynasty Royal Sculptures Recognizable as Royalty Without a Name
Even when the name is lost, a headdress worn in place of a crown and a cobra on the brow reveal royalty. Four sculptures of nameless kings and queens.
