Lot Essay
In death, as in life, the Egyptian nobleman sought to share his time with female companions. In the Twelfth Dynasty these concubine figures took the form of attractive shapely women and were formed of wood, ivory, faience and clay. Many display the features of African women, with brightly patterned clothing, jewelry and tattoos. For several examples, now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, see fig. 137, p. 221 in Hayes, The Scepter of Egypt, vol. I.