Breaking Ground: Discovering the Earliest Portrait of a Greek Woman in Egyptian Relief Art
For centuries, historians and archaeologists have tirelessly worked to unravel the mysteries of ancient civilizations. Egyptian art, in particular, serves as an invaluable source of historical knowledge, providing insight into the society, culture, and everyday life of one of the world's most ancient and influential civilizations. One recent discovery has astounded the historical community: the earliest known portrait of a Greek woman beautifully etched into an Egyptian relief.
It is Egyptian and dates back to 1302 BC, about 100 years before the Trojan War! It is located on the Second Pylon of Pharaoh Horemheb at Karnak, the largest place of worship in ancient Egypt. The relief depicts a woman of obvious Greek origin. Her distinct Greek attire and the characteristic hairstyle clearly differentiate her from her Egyptian contemporaries, which makes this find particularly exciting.
In Horemheb's colossal relief group of prisoners of war, there is also a gang of captives (men and women) with their race-name "Haunebu" inscribed against them.
The heads of the men are distorted, but the profile of a woman is yet perfect, and this profile is the earliest portrait of a Greek woman in the world. Her eye is defaced, but the delicate outline of the features is yet unscathed. She is depicted with a thin long ringlet (probably one on each side), a characteristic feature of the female hair in archaic Greek art. Therefore, it can be assumed that this hairstyle was a "national fashion" quite earlier.
Statue showing the King Mentuhotep III as Osiris with a tall crown, long beard and an full-length cloak.
The ethnonym "Haunebu", as a general term for the inhabitants of the Aegean area, is mentioned for the first time as early as the time of Pharaoh Sankhara (Mentuhotep III), of the 11th Dynasty of the Middle Kingdom (2010-1998 BC), as it appears on a carved slab of his time.
After this mention, we hear no more of early Greeks in Egypt until they reappear as Danai or Danaeans (Tanaju), about half a millennium later, in the reign of Thutmose III (1479-1425 BC). This pharaoh was the equivalent of "Alexander the Great" of ancient Egyptian history. He conquered most of the then known world, building Egypt's largest empire ever.
He carved the names of hundreds of defeated nations and conquered cities on the walls of Karnak and the Great Temple of Ammun. In these famous inscriptions, also known as the "Annals of Thutmose III", we find the Greeks mentioned for the second time in Egyptian history, as a diplomatic meeting between the Mycenaean delegation and the pharaoh in the area of Syria is recorded.
The ethnonym "Haunebu" nevertheless survived until the time of the Ptolemies, when the Greeks ruled Egypt. The native Egyptian scribes of the comparative Hellenistic Era used it to denote the ruling race (the Rosetta Stone), just as their distant ancestors had used it to denote "Greek barbarians," people of the sea who had been captured in battle 15 whole centuries ago!
The Hall of Annals of Thutmosis III, Temple of Karnak in Thebes. (mid 15th c. B.C.) Thutmosis (Menkheperre) offers foreign gifts to Amun.
This remarkable find not only represents the earliest known portrait of a Greek woman in Egyptian art but also stimulates a reevaluation of our understanding of ancient societal interactions, cultural exchanges, and the roles of Greek women in Ptolemaic Egypt. It serves as an invaluable link to the past, allowing us a peek into the nuanced relationships between one of the ancient world's most formidable powers and its influential Greek contemporaries.
Like many great historical discoveries, this one prompts as many questions as it answers, reminding us of the rich and layered tapestry that is human history. As scholars continue to study this fascinating artifact, it is certain that we will gain even more insight into the complex dynamics of cultural exchange in the ancient world, the status of Greek women in foreign societies, and the extent of their participation in public and religious life.
In conclusion, the Egyptian relief portraying the earliest Greek woman is not only an artistic marvel but also a testament to the complexities of ancient societies and the rich tapestry of cultural exchange that has shaped human history. As researchers continue to unveil the mysteries etched into this invaluable piece of art, we look forward to the new chapters this will open in our understanding of our shared past.
