18th Dynasty figure
- Gallery: Room 4
- Culture: 18th Dynasty
- Object type: figure
- Materials: limestone
- Museum number: EA13366
- Museum: The British Museum
- Collection record: British Museum website
- Image © The Trustees of the British Museum, shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 licence.
Listen to the free audio guide
About this object
Before you is a limestone fragment from an ancient Egyptian figure representing the king Akhenaten of the 18th Dynasty. What remains is the head and neck, with the rest of the body and base lost to time.
Look closely at the face—it’s a striking example of artistry. The lips are full and pursed, with a noticeable center line on the upper lip. The nose is long and narrow on the left side, and the bridge appears damaged. The sharp outline of the mouth and the subtle curve of the lips suggest an expressive character.
On the back of the neck, a deep vertical channel remains. This may have been used to attach the head to the body or to support a headdress or crown. Interestingly, the head fits with a fragment of a nemes headdress found nearby, supporting its identification as Akhenaten.
This artifact was donated in 1853 and was discovered in the ancient city of Amarna, the site of Akhenaten’s short-lived religious reforms. The piece gives us a rare glimpse into how ancient Egyptian artists captured individuality and emotion in their work.
See it in person
18th Dynasty figure is on display in Room 4 at the British Museum on Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury, London — free to enter. Choose British Museum on audioguide.london and take a photo of it to hear this free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
New, in beta. British Museum support has just launched and is still improving: over 1,000 objects so far, with more added all the time.
