Pair Statue of Djehuty-em-hab and Iay

Artist: UnknownEgyptian

1200–1085 B.C.

Ancient Art

On view, 1st floor, Ancient Art

This Egyptian statue shows a husband and wife, Djehuty-em-hab and Iay, seated together on a double chair. Djehuty-em-hab, named in the inscription as a general of Pharaoh's army, wears a full wig and sits with his hands on his lap. His wife, Iay, named as chantress of the god Wepwawet, sits next to her husband, her left arm around his shoulder, her right arm in front of her, holding a ritual rattle. Pair statues like this were very popular in the New Kingdom, and a similar scheme was used for gods, the royal family, and private couples. Like the pair statue of Ikhui and Bebi (ILE1979.17.2), this statue would have been placed in the couple's tomb to show the continuity of their marriage into the afterlife.

Medium

Red sandstone with black pigment

Dimensions

18 7/8 × 11 1/4 × 8 1/4 in. (48 × 28.5 × 21 cm)

Credit Line

Gift of Ludlow Bull, B.A. 1907, and the Associates in Fine Arts

Accession Number

1947.81

Culture

Egyptian

Period

Dynasty 20

Classification

Sculpture

Disclaimer

Note: This electronic record was created from historic documentation that does not necessarily reflect the Yale University Art Gallery’s complete or current knowledge about the object. Review and updating of records is ongoing.

Provenance
Spink and Son, Ltd., London, 1940. This object was here on loan furing WWII, 5.1940.
Bibliography
  • Susan B. Matheson, Art for Yale: A History of the Yale University Art Gallery (New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Art Gallery, 2001), 112–13, fig. 106
  • Elise K. Kenney, ed., Handbook of the Collections: Yale University Art Gallery (New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Art Gallery, 1992), 258, ill
  • Gerry D. Scott, III, Ancient Egyptian Art at Yale, 1st (New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Art Gallery, 1986), 78, 128–31, no. 73, fig. 73a
  • "Advertisement for Spink and Son, Ltd.," Chronique d'Egypte (July 26, 1938 and Jan 25, 1938),
Object copyright
No Copyright - United States
Additional information

Object/Work type

statues

Inscriptions

From G.D. Scott, ANCIENT EGYPTIAN ART AT YALE (New Haven 1986) 128-129:\r\n\r\n"1. imy-r ms' wr nn (sic) hm.f Dhwty-m-hb m;'-hrw\r\n2. ss nyswt rh nyswt Dhwty-m-hb m;'-hrw\r\n3. nbt pr sm'yt n Wp-w;wt I;y(6) m;'-hrw\r\n4. 'nh(7) n k; n ss nyswt rh nyswt imy-r ms' wr n hm.f Dhwty-m-hb m;'-hrw\r\n5. 'nh n k; n nbt-pr sm'yt n Wp-w;wt I;y m;'-hrw\r\n6. Htp di nyswt Imn-R' nyswt ntrw Wp-w;wt rsy hrp t;wy Mwt nbt pt Ht-hr nbt Mddt nb pt\r\n7. (di.s)n rn.i mn m r-pr.sn ddwy m r n r n k; nssnyswt\r\n8. [rh nyswt] i my-r ms' wr nn (sic) hm.f Dhwty-m-hb m;'-hrw snty.f(8) nbt-pr\r\n9. sm'yt n Wp-w;wt I;y m;'-hrw\r\n10. di.sn 'h'w nfr sw m dw r wd ; nmtt r st.s r pht.k\r\n11. im;h n k; n ss nyswt rh nyswt imy-r ms' wr n hm.f Dhwty-m-nb m ;'-hrwsnty.fnb(t)-pr\r\n12. sm'yt n Wp-w;wt I;y m;'-hrw\r\n\r\nTranslation\r\n1. The great general of His Majesty's Army,(9) Djehuty-em-hab, the vindicated.\r\n2. The King's Scribe, the Royal Acquaintance, Djehuty-em-hab, the vindicated.\r\n3. The Lady of the House, the Chantress of Wepwawet, Iay, the vindicated.\r\n4. Life to the ka of the King's Scribe, the Royal Acquaintance, the Great General of His Majesty's Arm, Djehuty-em-hab, the vindicated.\r\n5. Life to the ka of the lady of the House, the Chantress of Wepwawet, Iay, the vindicated.\r\n6. An offering which the king gives to Amen-Re, king of the gods; the Southern Wepwawet, the governor of the Two Lands;(10) Mut, lady of heaven; Hathor, Lady of Medjedny;(11) and the lord of heaven,\r\n7. that they mat cause my name to remain in thier temples, enduring from mouth to mouth, for the ka of King's Scribe,\r\n8. [the Royal Acquaintance,] the Great General of His Majesty's Army, Djehuty-em-hab, the vindicated; and his sistert, the Lady of the House,\r\n9. the Chantress of Wepwawet, Iay, the vindicated.\r\n10. May they grant a good, long lifetime, free from evil; soundness of speech,(12) with one's stride in its proper place until you have reached\r\n11. (the state of) veneration, for the ka of the Royal Scribe, the King's Acquaintance, the Great General of His Majesty's Army, Djehuty-em-hab, the vindicated; and his sister, the Lady of the House,\r\n12. the Chantress of Wepwawet, Iay, the vindicated."

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