Column with Hathor-emblem capital and names of Nectanebo I on the shaft
Unknown Artist
380–362 B.C.
Medium
Limestone, paint
Dimensions
H. 102 × W. 34.3 × D. 34.3 cm, 169.6 kg (40 3/16 × 13 1/2 × 13 1/2 in., 374 lb.); height with rod: 117.8 cm (46 3/8 in.)
Classification
Column, Hathor-emblem capital, Nectanebo I
Period
Late Period
Department
Egyptian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Edward S. Harkness, 1928
Accession Number
28.9.7
Tags
Art Historical Context
This striking limestone column, dating to 380–362 B.C., hails from Egypt's Late Period, specifically 30—the final era of native pharaonic rule before Persian conquest. Crafted during the reign of Nectbo I, the founder of this dynasty, it stands as a testament to a brief renaissance of traditional Egyptian artistry and piety. Measuring about 102 cm tall (with rod, 118 cm), its robust form (34.3 cm wide and deep, weighing 170 kg) suggests it once supported a temple or pavilion roof, embodying the monumental architecture of the time. The column's capital features the emblem of Hathor, the belove...