Funerary Stele with Two Lions and Circle Pattern within a Niche

7th–8th century

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 302

Funerary stelae of Byzantine Egypt, often inscribed with names of the deceased, sometimes also include a prayer for the safe journey of souls to their final "rest in Christ." The following lines are from the Coptic Liturgy for the Dead: "And these, O Lord, and all those names we have recited . . . who have fallen asleep and have gone to their rest in the faith of Christ, vouchsafe to grant rest to all their souls in the bosom of the holy fathers. . . ."
This stela, said to be from the Upper Nile delta town of Hermonthis (now Armant), bears the name of a prominent citizen who was buried near the marker.

Artwork Details

Overview

Provenance

Title: Funerary Stele with Two Lions and Circle Pattern within a Niche
Date: 7th–8th century
Geography: Attributed to Egypt, Akhmim (former Panopolis)
Medium: Limestone; carved in relief
Dimensions: H. 17 1/8 in. (43.5 cm)
W. 13 3/8 in. (34 cm)
D. 4 5/16 in. (11 cm)
Classification: Sculpture
Credit Line: Rogers Fund, 1910
Object Number: 10.176.30
Curatorial Department: Islamic Art

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