W1041
Stelae are slabs of wood or stone with inscriptions and pictures set up to commemorate an event, to provide offerings to a dead person or a god, or to mark the edges of territory. This stela is made of wood and is a funerary stela. Such items only belong to the wealthy. It was set up in a tomb to call upon various gods, in this case Horus of Edfu, Osiris, Isis, Hathor and Anubis to ensure that the dead person was provided for in the afterlife. It asks for bread, beer, beef, geese, incense and 'all things sweet pure and good on which a god lives.'
The stela was made for Pakheredsebuemhotep, an army scribe and overseer of priests in the temple of Horus at Edfu. We know it comes from Edfu because of the titles of the dead man. It is probably 1st century AD in date as a very similar example ascribed to the 1st century is described in Munro, page 74.
Front
The upper section shows the winged sun disc associated here with the falcon god Horus of Edfu. From the disc hang two snakes representing Nekhbet and Wadjit of Upper and Lower Egypt, and between them the inscription BHdt, 'Edfu'. A legend tells how the inhabitants of Nubia began to plot against Re. Horus of Edfu flew up in the shape of a winged sun-disk and shone so fiercely that the rebels were blinded and killed each other in panic. In this shape Horus also pursued Seth and cut off his head.
Below that, the dead person lies on a lion bed and the dog/jackal headed god Anubis performs the rites to resurrect him. Anubis is helped by Isis, Nephthys and the Four Sons of Horus. Their names are written above them. On the right the dead person is shown dressed as a priest, fully restored to life. He holds up his hands in worship.
The inscription starts with the offering formula, addressed to Horus of Edfu and lists Pakeheredsebuemhoteps's many priestly titles. These include, a priest of Horus the Child (Harpocrates), and of Amun, chief libation priest of Sekhmet, overseer of Selket, overseer of priests of Horus of Edfu, etc.
The lowest section shows Anubis each side of the god Osiris, incorporated into a Djed Pillar.
Back
This stela was free standing and was therefore decorated on the back. The back section shows Isis, right, and Nephthys, left, squatting, with hands raised in worship to Osiris, centre. Beneath this is a djed pillar flanked by two representations of the Girdle of Isis. The djed pillar is a representation of the back bone of Osiris and stood for stability. The Girdle of Isis perhaps represents the cloth worn by women during menstruation and is a protective amulet.
This item formed part of the MacGregor Collection and was purchased by Sir Henry Wellcome at an auction in 1922.
Further Reading
Munro, Peter, 1973 Die Spätägyptischen Totenstelen. J.J. Augustin
Watterson, Barbara, 1998. The House of Horus at Edfu.Temp
Other stelae in the Egypt Centre