Votive stela of Amenemope

Votive stela of Amenemope
New Kingdom, mid Dynasty XVIII
Reign of Thutmose III
1479-1425 BC
Limestone, pigment
36.5 X 24.5 X 8.0
Felton Bequest 1939

This is one of a small number of volative stelae in the collection of the National Gallery of Victoria upon which private individuals are shown worshipping deities for whom they held particular veneration. It would have been dedicated at a temple or shrine and displayed; such items are encountered particularly from the New Kingdom onwards and reflect personal piety. This round-topped stela, in sunk relief, depicts three members of a family: Amenemope, hiw wife Senuires and his son Amenmes; the names of the two males honour the god Amn of Thebes. Amenemope wears a shoulde-length wig, a collar that preserves traves of blue pigment, along white linen kilt over a short one, and is barefoot.

Senuires raises one arm in adoration and carries a small jar in her left hand; this bear traces of blue pigment. Sher wears a typical shealth dress, a collar and a long wig. The single line of inscription to her right reads: “His wife, mistress of the house, Senuires”. Amenmes stands in a similiar positio to Senuires but carries a duck, originally colored red; he is attired like his father but wears a skillcap.

Amenmes was a common priest of a local form of the goddess Mut, consort of Amen, venerated at Mageb in the tenth province of the south Egypt. The writing of the place name without a final letter “t” enables the stela to be dated to the first part of Dynasty XVIII.

Translation:
“Meaning of the names”

Imn-m-jpw – ‘Amon from Ipu‘ (Akhmim) [or: ‘Amon is at Akhmim‘]
Sen-i-Asir – ‘Osiris is my brother‘
Jmn-ms – ‘Amon is born‘

Volative stela of Amenemope

Volative stela of Amenemope

Volative stela of Amenemope

Volative stela of Amenemope

Hope, Colin A. Ancient Civilizations in the International Collections of the National Gallery of Victoria. Melbourne, Victoria, 2004.