Topic > The funerary stele of Ta-Khaa-En-Bastet: Lady of...

IntroductionThe following objective of the paper is to present the funerary stele of Ta-Khaa-En-Bastet, preserved at the Cincinnati Art Museum. The stele's accession number is 1947.392 and is likely from Abydos due to its images. The stele dates back to the late period of ancient Egypt, i.e. 664-332 BC. This funerary stele helps provide data on the funerary practices and responsibilities that women had in ancient Egyptian society. Description of the stele The stele is considered a round-topped stele because the top is curved while the sides and bottom remain straight. It is 33 cm high and 24 cm wide; its thickness is estimated between 2 and 3 cm. It was carved from limestone and has only a few traces of red and black pigment. The bodies of the Egyptian gods Horus and Thoth still have red pigment on their bodies as does the solar disk of the uraei. The stele has a border all around with a pattern that alternates between a large red bar and three small black bars. At the top are two-winged cobras called uraei (Capel, Markoe, Cincinnati Art Museum and Brooklyn Museum, 1996). There is also an inscription under the uraei. The center of the stele depicts a woman, Ta-Khaa-En-Bastet, standing left and right venerating the Egyptian gods Horus and Thoth. The central scene also has two small inscriptions above Horus and Thoth. The bottom has three rows of hieroglyphics, representing an offering prayer, details about Ta-Khaa-En-Bastet's family, and her title as "Mistress of the House" (Capel, Markoe, Cincinnati Art Museum and Brooklyn Museum, 1996 , p. 166). Illustrations and textThe central scene of the funerary stele Ta-Khaa-En-Bastet is illustrated twice standing behind the god Horus, who is on the left...... in the center of the sheet.... .. Tell us who Ta-Khaa-En-Bastet was and how he might have lived. She was part of or wanted to be an affiliate of the Osiris cult in Abydos. She was most likely a middle class woman because she managed to have a funerary stele. She also took on the responsibility of her father's family, receiving the title of "Mistress of the House". Stars in general can reveal a lot about a society. They can reveal a person's religious belief based on the god depicted on the stele. They can provide information about a military campaign that the pharaoh successfully completed. Boundary stelae can provide an estimate of how large a building or temple would have been and where the Egyptian kingdom had occupied foreign territories. Stelae are an essential part of antiquity because they are able to provide in-depth information about the past periods of ancient Egypt.