Secrets of forgotten Egyptian tomb statue revealed

BBC News

18-05-2025

A stone head that spent decades gathering dust on a wall has proved to be an Egyptian statue from an ancient tomb.The statue fragment was one of hundreds of pieces, from a fossilised shark tooth to wartime posters, collected by a Nottinghamshire doctor.When inspected, the relic was found to be mounted on a wooden board, which revealed it was 2,500 years old but also contained documents showing it was found in 1888 close to a "lost" pyramid.Valuer Richard Griza said: "I saw it over my shoulder, and I almost couldn't believe my eyes - it is a privilege to handle such an item."
The artefact, measuring roughly 15cm (6ins) square, is believed to be part of an "ushabti", a type of funerary figure which was intended to function as a helper in the afterlife.Made of volcanic basalt, it has been dated to the 26th Dynasty (circa 664-525BC). Mr Griza, from Arthur Johnson Auctioneers, said the items had been collected by a local doctor."There were hundreds of items, and they were eclectic to say the least."He seemed to have collected historical curios of all sorts, from sword handles to fossilised shark teeth."The head had been on a wall for decades, and the gentleman's niece said they didn't pay much attention to it; it was just another thing to dust."
It was only when taken off the wall, it was found the wooden mounting contained documents revealing more about its past.The paperwork, drawings, and letters of provenance show it was found during Flinders Petrie's 1888 excavations at Hawara.It came from the tomb of a great noble called Horuta, who was important enough to be buried close to the pyramid of pharaoh Amenemhat II, which has been largely destroyed over time.Mr Griza said: "It is so rare to get an item with this provenance."We know where and when it was found, and it's so remarkable it was found by one of the pioneers in archaeology."Sir Flinders Petrie, who lived from 1853 until 1942, is regarded as one of the most important and influential figures in the history of Egyptology.He pioneered a more scientific approach to both dating finds and regarding anything found on an excavation - no matter how mundane - as worthy of study.Some of the collection has already been sold, but the head goes under the hammer at Arthur Johnson and Sons auctioneers on 24 May with an estimate of £1,500 to £2,500.