Block Statue of Priest Horsiese

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This squatting statue of a priest of Amun in Karnak depicts him clad in an unbelted ankle-length kilt, with his feet and arms free. In an uncommon position, the elbows hug the knees, rather than rest upon them. On the front of the garment, above two rows of framed text, a scene shows the owner worshiping Osiris, Isis and Horus. Behind the deity on the left, stands a small child, presumably the son of the Priest Horsiese. The back pillar bears two framed columns of carved signs. The erasures, perhaps the names of Psammetik the First, the summarily executed worship scene, and the quality of the epigraphy suggest re-inscription at a later date. The close-fitting cap, worn by the man in the adoration scene, is a type not usually seen until the Fourth Century, supporting this possibility. On the other hand, the name of the owner of the statue, well attested in the early reign of Psammetik the First, apparently contradicts this supposition. The thick, rounded-front base bears no writing. Horsiese wears a plain double wig with a very flat top. His ears are fully exposed, detailed, and overly large. The face is disproportionately oversized. The eyes are wide, almond shaped, and heavily rimmed. The upper rims extend outward, forming long cosmetic lines. The lengthy, arched, plastically rounded eyebrows descend to almost join the cosmetic lines at their outer extremities. With the exception of the eyes, this statue is very much in the style of the Twenty-Fifth Dynasty.

Dimensions: Height 42.3 cm