Art Institute of Chicago

Lintel Fragment Depicting Iniuia and Iuy Worshipping Deities

Egyptian; Tomb of Iniuia and Iuy, Saqqara, Egypt

Date

New Kingdom, Dynasty 18, reign of Tutankhamun (about 1336–1327 BCE)

Medium

Limestone and pigment

Culture

Egypt

Department

Arts of Africa

Institution

Art Institute of Chicago

This lintel fragment depicts a couple kneeling with their hands raised in an Egyptian gesture of praise, worshipping the funerary deities Osiris and Isis. It once crowned a doorway in the tomb chapel of Iniuia, a high-ranking official who served under King Tutankhamun, and his wife, Iuy. Hieroglyphs separating the couple from the gods state that they are praising Osiris so that he will give them the “sweet breath” they need to thrive in the afterlife. Ancient Egyptian religion required worshippers to perform acts of devotion toward gods and goddesses in order to receive their favors. Here, that devotion is captured in stone, guaranteeing that Iniuia and Iuy will benefit from it forever.

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