Statuette of Merer

In the pictureAgainst a gray background, a wooden man painted red-brown stands with his left foot stepping far forward. The paint survives so evenly that even his nipples and navel are marked in black; the rows carved into his short curly hair are crisp, and his eyes and eyebrows are painted in black and white. His white wraparound kilt, which has no front panel, is crowded with black and green writing, and his fingernails and toenails are painted white. On the top of the red base, text is written within panels bordered in green, and at the lower front of the base the paint has flaked off, exposing a white ground layer.

BackgroundOf the four statues representing the same Merer, this is the largest (35.6 cm) and has the most evenly preserved paint. The whole kilt and the top of the base carry Merer's name and what appear to be prayers requesting offerings, so the statue itself serves as a small stela. The recorded materials are wood, paint and gesso, and the white layer exposed beneath the base appears to be that gesso ground. Like the other Merer statues, it is thought to date to the 10th–11th Dynasty and to come from Asyut. It is the only one of the four photographed against a gray background, and the wraparound kilt without a front panel is also unique to this statue.

Puzzle tipWith so much writing, positions are actually easy to fix. Assemble the face, the curly hair and the inscribed pieces of the white kilt first, then anchor the bottom with the green-bordered text panels on top of the base and the white chipped spot at the front. On the red-brown arms and legs, the white dots of the nails mark the ends. Fill in the gray background starting with the pieces along the figure's outline. On top of the base the two feet are placed one ahead of the other, so the foot pieces have clear positions. Normal (about 48 pieces) is a good fit.