Stela𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 of Ba𓃀𓅡𓄿
1539-1425 B.C.E. Dynasty 18
Stelae functioned as markers for the deceased𓌶𓂝𓊤𓅱𓀀. Comparable to modern day tombstones they would identify the individual along with their titles, or names of loved ones.
As their need would arise post mortem it would be up to the family𓎛𓇌𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏥 to have them made. This limestone𓇋𓈖𓂋𓊌𓈖𓂝𓈖𓁼𓊌 example was dedicated for “Ba𓃀𓅡𓄿, true of voice𓐙𓊤” who is seated𓋴𓇛𓅓𓀼 holding a lotus flower𓆸 to his nose𓂉. Beside him Is his son𓅬𓏤 Ms𓄟𓋴 who was the person responsible for the commission of this piece. The woman𓊃𓏏𓁐 to his left is identified as “his𓆑 wife𓈞𓏏, Iny𓇋𓈖𓆛𓏭”.
Cramping of the figures on the left leaves a tight space for an offering table before𓊯 Ba. A woman pours libations𓏁 at his feet thought was likely due to lack of space. Known today as an estate𓉐𓏤𓆓𓏏𓇾 figure this form would symbolize offerings given from other homes or institutions.
Inscribed𓋴𓈙𓏞𓏝 on the bottom is a standardized formula for presenting offerings to The dead. It would read as “A Royal𓇓 offering𓊵𓏏𓊪 given𓏙 to Osiris𓁹𓊩 lord𓎟 of Djedu𓊽𓊽𓅱𓊖, rejoice𓀠 in all𓎟 places𓃀𓅱𓏥”. His name𓂋𓈖 consists of a unique variation. Replacing the throne𓊨 is a portable seat𓊩. The change would invoke a funerary𓂝𓏏𓃀𓆇 context, symbolizing the furniture𓇋𓊪𓂧𓅱𓆱𓏥 and amenities that would be placed within the tomb𓇋𓇩𓊃𓉐𓏤.
The Following line would read as “So that he𓆑 may give𓂞, a voice offering of beer, bread𓉓, beef𓃾, foul𓅿 and all𓎟 things𓐍𓏏 pleasant𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏.
Fragmented and repaired, portions of the text have been lost along with the name of the estate figure. A crack down the center indicates it was repaired in antiquity.
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