Stela of Two Deified Men in the Brooklyn Museum, August 2007

Stela of Two Deified Men (?)
Sandstone
Roman Period, late 1st century BC- early first century AD
Probably from northern Nubia

Accession # 76.8

The small figure in the lower right is a pharaoh offering to four small Egyptian deities and two large figures holding bows and signs of life, probably deified humans. It has been suggested that they are the brothers Pedisi and Pihor, Nubian princes deified after death. They were the major focus of the cult in the Temple of Dendur, a site in lower Nubia, where Egyptian deities were also worshiped. The Dendur Temple was built between 23 and 10 BC, when Egypt controlled lower Nubia and the Emperor Augustus was pharaoh of Egypt.

The style of the stela's figures, their facial features, and the bold carving and heavy forms are related to many works in Egypt of late Ptolemaic (first century BC) and Roman times. However, this style is also found in contemporary works from Egyptian-controlled lower Nubia and the stela is of Nubian sandstone.

Text from the Brooklyn Museum label.