MacGregor plaque
MacGregor plaque | |
---|---|
Material | Ivory |
Created | ca. 2985 BCE |
Discovered | Abydos, 26°11′06″N 31°55′08″E / 26.185°N 31.918889°E |
The MacGregor Plaque (or MacGregor Tablet, also King Den's sandal label) is an artefact that was probably found in the tomb of King Den at Abydos, and dated circa 2985 BCE. According to its inscriptions, the plaque was originally attached to the king's sandal. The plaque is displayed in the British Museum.
It is, with the depictions of Narmer, among the oldest images of a ruler.[3]
Origin and description
The MacGregor Plaque is a tablet is made of carved
The plaque was acquired by the British Museum in 1922; before that it, was part of the MacGregor collection. The plaque is displayed in the British Museum with the inventory number BM EA 55586.
Front side
On the front side, king Den is depicted. He wears a loincloth, a nemes headdress with a Uraeus-snake, and an animal tail which hangs down from the back of his skirt. Den is labelled with his Horus name. His pose belongs to the motif of the "slaying the enemy": the king has his right hand raised, holding a mace; with his left hand, Den holds an enemy in place with his hair. The enemy is already on his knees, but attempts to ward off the king's blow. He can be identified as an Asiatic on account of his hairstyle (goatee and braids).
Along the plaque we find a
This plaque is the earliest attestation for the long head-dress known as the khat-head-dress. Horus Den is also the first king known to display the double crown, indicating us that he was an innovative and active developer of royal iconography.[4]
Back side
On the other side of the plaque, a pair of sandals are depicted, although the left part is severely damaged by abrasion.[4] According to its inscriptions, the plaque was originally attached to the king's sandal.
Cultural impact
The artifact appeared in A History of the World in 100 Objects.[3]
References
- ^ ISBN 978-0-334-05504-4. Archivedfrom the original on 2023-03-08. Retrieved 2020-06-13.
- ^ "Label British Museum". The British Museum. Archived from the original on 2020-06-13. Retrieved 2020-06-13.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-670-02270-0.
- ^ a b c "Label British Museum". The British Museum. Archived from the original on 2020-06-13. Retrieved 2020-06-13.
Bibliography
- ISBN 3-447-02677-4, S. 161 & 187.
- R. B. Parkinson, Whitfield Diffie, Mary Fischer, R. S. Simpson. Cracking codes: the Rosetta stone and decipherment. Vol. 2. California Press, New York 1999, ISBN 0520222482, p. 74.
- A. J. Spencer. Early Dynastic Objects (= Catalogue of the Egyptian Antiquities in the British Museum.). British Museum, London 1980, ISBN 0-7141-0927-4, p. 65, No. 460.
External links
- MacGregor-Plakette on the British Museum website.