Family Stela

United in the afterlife. Two close-knit family groups from ancient Egypt.

Egyptian tombs had a chamber where family came to make prayers and food offerings. Here, we see a ritual of filial duty in two different families. Hieroglyphs tell us who is who.

The stela shows a close-knit family group from ancient Egypt. The son Pa-Aten-em-heb and daughter Meryt-Ra, stand in prayer before their deceased parents – Ptahmay, an Egyptian official and ‘guardian of the treasury’, with his wife Ta-kharut (‘the Syrian’). On the left sit the dead husband and wife, with perfume cones on their heads. In front of them, their son and daughter pray for them. On the table are the offerings: a drink vessel, two loaves, two gourds, ribs of meat, and a bundle of spring onions.

Other relatives are depicted below.