Skip to main content

Limestone pseudo-group statue of Penmeru

Object(s) photograph: Site: Giza; view: G 2197

Limestone group statue, representing two portraits of Penmeru, with his wife Meretites and two children Seshemnefer and Neferseshemes; figures carved in very high reilef and brightly painted stand within niche painted pink to imitate granite, inscription around frame contains offering formula and identifies figures.

Details

  • ID
    MFAB_12.1484
  • Department
    Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
  • Classification
    Sculpture
  • Findspot
    Mastaba G 2197, serdab
  • Material
    Limestone
  • Dimensions
    Height x width: 155 x 105 cm (61 x 41 5/16 in.)
  • Credit Line
    Harvard University–Boston Museum of Fine Arts Expedition
  • Object Ownership Information
    MFA
  • Period
    Old Kingdom, Dynasty 5
  • Attested
    Meretites (in G 2197)
    Neferseshemes (in G 2197)
    Seshemnefer (in G 2197)
  • Owner
    Penmeru (G 2197)
  • Notes
    This object was excavated by the Harvard University–Boston Museum of Fine Arts Expedition, but was not recorded in any object register book. 1912: Excavated by the Harvard University–Museum of Fine Arts Expedition; 1912: assigned to the MFA in the division of finds by the government of Egypt. (Accession Date: December 5, 1912)

Tombs and Monuments 1

  • G 2197

    • Site Name Western Cemetery

Published Documents 11

Full Bibliography

  • Aldred, Cyril. Egyptian Art, in the Days of the Pharaohs, 3100-320 BC. World of Art. New York: Oxford University Press, 1980, pp. 100-101, fig. 61.

    Brovarski, Edward. "A Triad for Pehenptah." Warsaw Egyptological Studies I. Essays in honour of Prof. Dr. Jadwiga Lipinska. Warsaw: National Museum "Pro-Egipt," 1997, p. 270, note 32.

    Cooney, John D. "An Old Kingdom Torso." The Brooklyn Museum Quarterly 24 (1937), p. 193.

    Cooney, John D. "A Tentative Identification of Three Old Kingdom Sculptures." Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 31 (1945), pp. 54-56.

    Eaton-Krauss, Marianne. "Pseudo-Groups." In Rainer Stadelmann and Hourig Sourouzian, eds. Kunst des Alten Reiches: Symposium im Deutschen Archäologischen Institut Kairo am 29. und 30. Oktober 1991. Sonderschrift des Deutschen Archäologischen Institut Abteilung Kairo 28, Mainz am Rhein: Verlag Philipp von Zabern, 1995, p. 73, #27.

    Feucht, Erika. Das Kind im alten Ägypten: Die Stellung des Kindes in Familie und Gesellschaft nach altägyptischen Texten und Darstellungen. Frankfurt & New York, 1995, p. 402, fig. 35.

    Fischer, Henry G. "An Elusive Shape within the Fisted Hands of Egyptian Statues." Metropolitan Museum Journal 10 (1975), p. 13.

    Fisher, Clarence S. "The Harvard-University-Museum of Fine Arts Egyptian Expedition." Bulletin of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston 11, No. 62 (1913), pp. 19, 20-21, unnumbered figs.

    Freed, Rita E., Lawrence M. Berman, and Denise M. Doxey. Arts of Ancient Egypt. MFA Highlights. Boston: MFA Publications, 2003, p. 93.

    Goedicke, Hans. Die privaten Rechtsinschriften aus dem Alten Reich. Beihefte zur Wiener Zeitschrift für die Kunde des Morgenlandes 5. Wien: Verlag Notring, 1970, p. 68.

    Manuelian, Peter Der. "Penmeru Revisited–Giza Mastaba G 2197 (Giza Archives Gleanings V)." Journal of the American Research Center in Egypt 45 (2009), pp. 5, 15, 16, 19, 30, 32-34, 38-44, note 30, figs. 8, 9, 11, 12, 18, 37-48.

    Manuelian, Peter Der. "Eight Years at the Giza Archives Project: Past Experiences and Future Plans for the Giza Digital Archive." Egyptian and Egyptological Documents, Archives, and Libraries, An Annual 1 (Milan, 2009), p. 151, note 8. 

    Manuelian, Peter Der. "A Race against Time in the Shadow of the Pyramids. The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and the Giza Necropolis, 1902-1990." KMT 1, No. 4 (1990-91), p. 14.

    Markowitz, Yvonne J., Joyce L. Haynes, and Rita E. Freed. Egypt in the Age of the Pyramids: Highlights from the Harvard University–Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Expedition. Boston: MFA Publications, 2002, p. 45, fig. 33.

    Radwan, Ali. "The Nun-basin of Renpetneferet." In Stephen E. Thompson and Peter Der Manuelian, eds. Egypt and Beyond: Essays Presented to Leonard H. Lesko upon his Retirement from the Wilbour Chair of Egyptology at Brown University June 2005. Providence: Department of Egyptology and Ancient Western Asian Studies, 2008, p. 277.

    Rössler-Köhler, Ursula. "Die rundplastische Gruppe der Frau Pepi und des Mannes Ra-Schepses. (Bemerkungen zur Ikonographie von Familiendarstellungen des Alten Reiches)." Mitteilungen des Deutschen Instituts für ägyptische Altertumskunde in Kairo 45 (1989), p. 273, pl. 35b.

    Simpson, William Kelly. Mastabas of the Western Cemetery, Part 1: Sekhemka (G 1029); Tjetu I (G 2001); Iasen (G 2196); Penmeru (G 2197); Hagy, Nefertjentet, and Herunefer (G 2352/53); Djaty, Tjetu II, and Nimesti (G 2337X, 2343, 2366). Giza Mastabas 4. Boston: Museum of Fine Arts, 1980, pp. 24-5, pl. XLIX.

    Smith, William Stevenson. A History of Egyptian Sculpture and Painting in the Old Kingdom. London: Oxford University Press, 1946, p. 8, pl. 21.

    Smith, William Stevenson. Country Life in Ancient Egypt. Museum of Fine Arts Picture Book 2. Boston: Museum of Fine Arts, 1954, p. 23, fig. 34.

    Smith, William Stevenson. Ancient Egypt as Represented in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Boston: Museum of Fine Arts, 1960 (6th ed.), pp. 53-54, fig. 29.

    Vandersleyen, Claude. Das Alte Ägypten. Propyläen Kunstgeschichte 15. Berlin: Propyläen Verlag, 1975, pl. 140.

People 4

Ancient People

  • Meretites (in G 2197)

    • Type Attested
    • Remarks Wife ([Hmt=f] his wife) of Penmeru (owner of G 2197). Testamentary decree of Penmeru (south wall of niche) provides for offerings to be made for Meretites, identified as [rxt nswt] royal acquaintance; in situ in G 2197. Limestone pseudo-group statue (MFA 12.1484) depicting two figures of Penmeru, his wife Meretites, his son Seshemnefer, and his daughter Neferseshemes; Meretites identified as [mjtrt] mitret; found in situ in G 2197 serdab.

  • Neferseshemes (in G 2197)

    • Type Attested
    • Remarks Daughter ([sAt=f] his daughter) of Penmeru (owner of G 2197). Limestone pseudo-group statue (MFA 12.1484) depicting two figures of Penmeru, his wife Meretites, his son Seshemnefer, and his daughter Neferseshemes; found in situ in G 2197 serdab.

  • Penmeru (G 2197)

    • Type Owner
    • Remarks Owner of G 2197. Testamentary decree of Penmeru (south wall of niche), identified as [wab nswt Hm-nTr mnkAwra jmj-r Hmw-kA] royal wab-priest, priest of Menkaure, overseer of ka-priests; in situ in G 2197. Limestone triad (MFA 12.1504) representing Penmeru in three Ka forms, identified as [rx nswt xrp sH] royal acquaintance, director of the dining hall; limestone pseudo-group statue (MFA 12.1484) depicting two figures of Penmeru, his wife Meretites, his son Seshemnefer, and his daughter Neferseshemes; Penmeru identified as [sHD Hmw-kA rx nswt xrp sH] inspector of ka-priests, royal acquaintance, director of the dining hall; limestone standing pair statue (Cairo JE 43753) depicting two figures of Penmeru; statues found in situ in G 2197 serdab.

  • Seshemnefer (in G 2197)

    • Type Attested
    • Remarks Son ([sA=f] his son) of Penmeru (owner of G 2197). Limestone pseudo-group statue (MFA 12.1484) depicting two figures of Penmeru, his wife Meretites, his son Seshemnefer, and his daughter Neferseshemes; found in situ in G 2197 serdab.