Archaeological Museum of Bologna

The statue represents a character named Ahmosi, crouching on the ground in the manner of a scribe, who wears a smooth wig and a short skirt above which a papyrus is unrolled.

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The hieroglyphic inscription on the papyrus scroll and around the base of the statue tells us that Ahmes was more than a mere scribe: he was the prince of Shat, i.e. governor of a region of Nubia, the area south of the first cataract of the Nile. The three deities mentioned in the text also allude to the southern territory of Egypt: the god Amon, whose centre of worship was Thebes, and Khnum and Satet, deities specific to the island of Elephantine. Consequently, we can theorize that the statue is from Thebes and was unquestionably intended for a temple area.

Provenance: Thebes (?). University Collection
Datation: 18th dynasty, reign of Thutmose III (1479–1426 BC)
Material: Basalt
Dimensions: cm 42,5 x 24 x 34
Inventory #: KS 1823