Head of King Userkaf

Description

Despite the monumental achievements of the Old Kingdom’s Pyramid Age, few images of its rulers survive. This head has been identified as King Userkaf, the first king of Dynasty 5. Userkaf built a modest pyramid at Saqqara and a temple to the sun god Ra at Abusir. According to later tradition, the first three kings of Dynasty 5 were the children of Ra himself and a mortal woman. From Userkaf’s reign on, the kings of Egypt were called "Sons of Ra." Here, Userkaf wears the two basic items of regalia that identify him as king: the tall, conical White Crown of Upper (southern) Egypt, and the royal false beard.

Provenance

Formerly in the collection of Prince Mohammed Ali, Cairo. (?-1950); E. G. Massey, Geneva (1950-1972); Marianne Maspero, Paris, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art (1972-1979); The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (1979-)

Head of King Userkaf

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c. 2454–2447 BCE

Accession Number

1979.2

Medium

painted limestone

Dimensions

Overall: 6.5 x 7.2 cm (2 9/16 x 2 13/16 in.); Face: 4.8 x 4.8 cm (1 7/8 x 1 7/8 in.)

Classification

Sculpture

Museum

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Cleveland, United States

Credit Line

Leonard C. Hanna Jr. Fund