AN EGYTPIAN GRAYWACKE NAOPHOROS FOR THE PRIEST TJA-KHONSU-IMU

AN EGYTPIAN GRAYWACKE NAOPHOROS FOR THE PRIEST TJA-KHONSU-IMU
LATE PERIOD, 26TH-30TH DYNASTY,
664-343 B.C.
Depicted kneeling, wearing a belted kilt, his toes splayed beneath him, proffering a shrine with Hathor, the heavenly cow, depicted frontally, with long straight forelegs and defined hooves, a solar disk in between her horns, the integral base and back-pillar with a hieroglyphic inscription including part of an offering formula, a form of the "Appeal to the Living," and a list of benefactions that the offerer, the priest Tja-Khonsu-imu, did for the temple and good deeds for the needy, the continuous inscription running along the right side, back and left side of the base, reading; "with/by means of every good, pure, sweet thing for the Ka of the Venerated One Tja-Khonsu-imu, son of Pe-di-Osiris, , for his Ka, which are given to him for breathing and being exalted and pleasant of heart, the House of Hauling, with the child...Lord of...[from ?] you, Lord of the Gods, burial a tomb on the desert of the Beautiful West (?), a tomb in the presence of...," the back-pillar comprising two columns, reading right to left: "...excellent of character (?), of the First Servant of the Goddess (?)/First Prophet (?) Tja-Khonsu-imu, son of Pe-di-Osiris, conceived by Ta-Osiris, He says: O any God's Servant/Prophet, any Wab-priest, any speaker who will recite this utterance (?), I shall praise the god on his account exceedingly...I turned toward the House of the Eye of Horus, a throne carved from cedar (or mountain pine), an offering table consisting of engraved bronze. I gave bread to the hungry, water the thirsty, so that he distinguished me on account of what (I) did"
13 5/8 in. (34.6 cm.) high