Egyptian stelae

An interdisciplinary examination into the materiality, production, and decoration of ancient Egyptian stelae

About the project

This interdisciplinary project examines 20 ancient Egyptian stelae, made from limestone, pottery and wood, in the Chau Chak Wing Museum that were produced and decorated between the New Kingdom (c.1500–1069 BC) and the Ptolemaic Period (c.332–30 BC).

It brings together an environmental scientist, geologist, stone carver, conservators and an archeometallurgist who are conducting the technical analyses on the stelae, in conjunction with Egyptologists, to provide a holistic understanding of ancient Egyptian stelae.

The focus is on the type of material used, and its origins, how they were carved and decorated, the types of tools and pigments used, and evidence of modifications and reuse.

Findings will be interpreted in the context of the objects' history, inscriptions and iconography.

The New Kingdom component of this study has been generously supported by the Centre for Ancient Cultures, Heritage and the Environment (CACHE) at Macquarie University. For more about this, visit CACHE's website.

Select stelae

Painted limestone statue of a scribe kneeling before a stele, mid-18th Dynasty (1400–1352 BC), Egypt, Nicholson Collection, NMR.1

Round-topped limestone stele — Limestone stele depicting Nubnofret presenting offerings to the seated Nebi-mes-pa-sheri, Second Intermediate Period (1640–1550 BC), possibly Thebes, Egypt, Nicholson Collection, NMR.4

Round-topped stele carved in a combination of raised and sunk relief — Painted limestone stele with Aakheperra giving offerings to the seated Nebmose, mid-18th Dynasty (1500–1400 BC), Thebes, Upper Egypt, Nicholson Collection, NMR.5

Rectangular limestone stele — Painted limestone stele with Amenhotep and his mother Kekit represented, New Kingdom period (1550–1070 BC), Egypt, Nicholson Collection, NMR.6

Lower fragment of a former-round topped limestone funerary stele — Lower fragment of a former round-topped limestone funerary stele depicting the deceased couple seated before their children, 18th Dynasty (1479–1390 BC), Thebes, Upper Egypt, Nicholson Collection, NMR.7

Ceramic stele of Tahersethanef, 18th Dynasty (1427–1352 BC), Thebes, Upper Egypt, Nicholson Collection, NMR.8

Limestone fragmentary figure of a seated scribe, 18th Dynasty (1550–1295 BC), Egypt, Nicholson Collection, NMR.38.1-7

Painted limestone stele with inscription — Round-topped painted limestone stele, 26th Dynasty (664–525 BC), Saqqara, Lower Egypt, Nicholson Collection, NMR.45

Painted limestone stele, Late Period (712–332 BC), Egypt, Nicholson Collection, NMR.51

Round-topped stele in shallow sunk relief, 26th Dynasty (664–525 BC), Egypt, Nicholson Collection, NMR.52

Limestone stele — Round-topped limestone stele, 18th Dynasty (1550–1295 BC), Thebes, Upper Egypt, Nicholson Collection, NMR.53

Select outputs

A comprehensive publication of the research, including a catalogue of the Museum's Egyptian stelae (co-edited by Melanie Pitkin, Pauline Stanton and Eve Guerry)
Small exhibition display of the stelae and results in progress of the project at the Chau Chak Wing Museum (scheduled August–November 2023)
Podcast for Object Matters with Dr Melanie Pitkin and Pauline Stanton to discuss stele NMR.53, made for Ahmose, 18th Dynasty (1550 - 1295 BC).
'Pop-up' museum in Bankstown Central shopping centre, November 24, 2022 (with more planned for 2023)

Research team

Chau Chak Wing Museum

Project lead: Dr Melanie Pitkin, Senior Curator (Nicholson Collection) and Egyptologist
Dr Eve Guerry, Academic Engagement Curator and Egyptologist
Sabrina Baron, Volunteer

External collaborators

Professor Damian Gore, Environmental Scientist, Macquarie University
Dr Trevor Emmett, Geologist, Independent (United Kingdom)
Jamie Sergeant, Stone carver
Dr Martin Odler, Egyptologist, Newcastle University (UK)
Ing Jiri Kmosek, Archeometallurgist, Academy of Fine Arts, Vienna; Nuclear Physics Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Řež
Dr Geoffrey Killen, Specialist in ancient Egyptian carpentry, Independent (United Kingdom)
Pauline Stanton, Egyptologist, Macquarie University
Madeline Jenkins, Egyptology student, Macquarie University
Bree Kelly, Egyptology student, Macquarie University
Tahlia Kirk, Egyptology student, Macquarie University
Emily Gardner, Egyptology student, Macquarie University
Rachel Nawar, Egyptology student, Macquarie University

Header image: Lower fragment of a former round-topped limestone funerary stele, 18th Dynasty (1479–1390 BC), Thebes, Upper Egypt, Nicholson Collection, NMR.7

Discover our collections

Melanie Louise Pitkin

Senior Curator, Nicholson Collection

Phone

+61 2 9036 6485

melanie.pitkin@sydney.edu.au