100th Object of the Month – Stela for Takheby

Stela for Takheby

Ancient Egyptian, Late Period, 746 - 525 BC
Painted wood

In June, visitors to the Castle voted to choose our 100th Object of the Month out of six options. The winner was this Ancient Egyptian funerary slab, or stela. It is currently on display in the Castle’s Egyptian Room. There are very few painted wooden objects in the Ancient Egyptian collection, and this one is well preserved. Wood was scarce and therefore valuable in Ancient Egypt. Stelae like this one would have been used during a funeral and then placed near the body in a grave. The burial of the stela made it possible for the wood and paint to remain preserved and in good condition. During the Late Period when this stela was made, there was an increase in the use of wooden stela decorated with gesso (a type of plaster) and paint for use in tombs.

Wooden stela of Panes, 26th Dynasty, British Museum, EA8504, © The Trustees of the British Museum.

The stela is one of only a few objects in the collection that commemorates a named woman. The inscription on the stela tells us that it was made for a woman called Takheby. It would have been included with her burial. Two images of Takheby are included on the stela. On the left she is shown worshipping the god Atum, and on the right she is worshipping the god Ra. Her hands are raised towards the gods which is a typical way of representing worship or adoration in Ancient Egyptian art.

The stela has two decorative borders – one in plain red and one with a striped pattern of blue, red, green, and black. At the curved top of the stela is a red sun disk with green and black feathered wings. Stelae were often decorated with a winged sun disk at the top, symbolising divine protection. Down the centre of the stela is a column with an inscription which has been translated by Dr John Baines – ‘Adoration to you Ra, adoration to you, Atum, in your coming, being perfect, having arisen, being mighty.’

The inscription describes Takheby as ‘the musician of Amun-Ra’. Amun-Ra was a powerful and widely worshipped sun god. Takheby’s role would have been to play music in a temple of Amun-Ra as an offering to please the god. The two gods that Takheby is worshipping on the stela, Atum and Ra, were also both associated with the sun, creation, and rebirth. Depicting Takheby honouring these gods on her stela ensured her rebirth and prosperity in the afterlife.

Statue of Amun-Ra, gold-plated silver, Late Period, 26th dynasty, British Museum collections, EA60006, © The Trustees of the British Museum

Temple musician was one of the few religious roles available to women in Ancient Egypt. Women generally had more opportunities in comparison to other ancient cultures, for example they could own property. There were however separate roles for men and women – women were expected to be in charge of the home and raising children. The role of musician in a temple was a respected occupation for a noble woman. Takheby is depicted on the stela with a long hairstyle, jewellery, white linen clothing, and decorated sandals, indicating her status. Interestingly, her striding pose and wide skirt are more similar to traditional depictions of men than of women. Women were more likely to be depicted standing with their legs together and wearing a narrow dress or draped pleated garments.

Wooden stela for the lady Tj(en)tdiashakhet, 25th dynasty, British Museum collection, EA65354, © The Trustees of the British Museum

The inscription on the stela also provides some important information about Takheby’s parents. It names Takheby’s father as Meryhorpareenaatu, the ‘god’s father’. The honorific title ‘god’s father’ was given to high-ranking priests. Priests were responsible for maintaining order and ensuring prosperity by performing rituals. The rituals focused on cult statues of the gods in the inner sanctums of temples, where common people were not able to enter. Statues of the gods were provided with clothing, food, and other offerings. It is likely that Takheby was a musician in the same temple where her father served as a high priest.

Takheby’s mother is recorded as Tadihorpakhered, the ‘lady of the house’. This title indicates that she owned her own property and was responsible for the administration and management of her household. This would involve overseeing the day-to-day running of the house, but also managing servants and labourers. The important roles of her parents is further evidence of Takheby’s high status in society. We can learn more about the status and roles of men and women in Ancient Egyptian society through how they are depicted. In one form of Ancient Egyptian statue, husbands and wives were depicted side by side as equals. 

Statue of Yuny, Chief Royal Scribe, and his wife Renenutet, Singer of Amun-Ra, New Kingdom, ca. 1294 – 1279 BC, Metropolitan Museum, object number 15.2.1

The stela of Takheby is one of over 300 objects on display in the Castle’s Egyptian Room. The objects range in age from 5,000 years to 2,000 years old. They include pottery vessels, jewellery, statues, burial goods, models, and a painted wooden coffin lid. The collection gives us a glimpse of how the Ancient Egyptians lived, what they believed, and how they prepared for life after death. 

This object is just one of the many objects that form part of Denys Eyre Bower’s five impressive collections which include Ancient Egyptian, Japanese, Buddhist, Stuart and Jacobite, and Books. For more information on these objects, review our Object of the Month series, visit the Historic House and Collections or contact our Curator, Naomi Collick by email or by calling 01892 870347.