Stela of the Steward Mentuwoser

History
This rectangular stone stela commemorates Mentuwoser, an official depicted holding linen at a funeral banquet, ensuring perpetual offerings and remembrance by his family. His son, daughter, and father are portrayed offering spiritual summons, a lotus, and food including beer. The stela’s feast is detailed vertically, showcasing bread, beef, squash, onions, and leeks with fine low-relief carvings that emphasize Mentuwoser's muscular and facial features. Commissioned in the seventeenth year of King Senwosret I’s reign as a tribute for Mentuwoser’s service as a steward and overseer of domestic animals, the hieroglyphics praise his benevolence and care for the poor. Placed originally at Abydos, a center for the Osiris cult, the stela was intended to secure his rebirth and sustenance during festivals, addressing scribes, listeners, and all visitors, reflecting its broad audience beyond the literate

Source
The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 110

Year
CA. 1944 B.C

Genre
Ancient Egypt

Creator
reign of Senwosret I, year 17

Digital ID
https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/544320