Reused Relief of Amenemhat I in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, July 2010

Title: Relief block from a temple of Amenemhat I

Period: Middle Kingdom

Dynasty: Dynasty 12

Reign: reign of Amenemhat I (coregency with Senwosret I?)

Date: ca. 1962–1952 B.C.

Geography: Egypt, Memphite Region, Pyramid Temple of Amenemhat I, re-used in foundation, Lisht North, MMA 1907-1908

Medium: Limestone, paint

Dimensions: h. 61 cm (24 in); w. 96.5 cm (38 in); d. 13.3 cm (5 1/4 in)

Credit Line: Rogers Fund, 1908

Accession Number: 08.200.6

On View

Text from: www.metmuseum.org/Works_of_Art/collection_database/egypti...

and

Reused Reliefs

The reliefs in this gallery were discovered in the foundations of the funerary temple of Amenemhat I at Lisht. Most of them bear his name, sometimes with that of his son and coregent, Senwosret I. Because of their protected location many of the blocks are complete, and the colorsare still fresh; several sculptural styles are represented. The site and buildings from which the blocks were taken have not been identified, but possibly they all derive from an earlier funerary temple at Lisht.

It is not known when the funerary temple of Amenemhat I was built. He may have begun it himself near the end of his reign, for the temple foundation deposits confirm an early Dynasty 12 date. Senwosret I may have completed the construction, however.

Text excerpted from the Metropolitan Museum of Art label.