Egyptian Man in a Persian Costume

Description

Object Label: Occasionally Egyptians wore foreign costumes and jewelry. The taste for non- Egyptian fashion arose during periods of extensive trade or diplomatic contact with distant courts, or when Egypt was controlled by a foreign power. The Persians, who twice invaded the Nile Valley from their West Asia homeland, dominated Egypt during the Twenty-seventh Dynasty (525– 404 B.C.E.) and the Thirty-first Dynasty (342–332 B.C.E.). This statue dates to the later period of Persian rule in Egypt. The long skirt shown wrapped around this statue’s body and tucked in at the upper edge of the garment is typically Persian. The necklace, called a torque, is decorated with images of ibexes, symbols in ancient Persia of agility and sexual prowess. The depiction of this official in Persian dress may have been a demonstration of loyalty to the new rulers. Caption: Egyptian Man in a Persian Costume, ca. 343–332 B.C.E.. Granite, 31 1/8 x 17 1/2 x 11 1/8 in., 134.26kg (79 x 44.5 x 28.3 cm, 296 lb.). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas S. Brush, 71.139. (Photo: Brooklyn Museum)