Statuette of a Female Dwarf and Baby

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This ancient Egyptian statuette depicts a young woman of dwarf proportions holding an infant against her hip. The piece was carved from a single block of wood and was originally set into a separate base. Although its precise function is uncertain, it likely carried some protective significance for mothers and children. The object was excavated by John Garstang in Abydos, tomb 352 and likely dates to the late 12th or early 13th Dynasty of the Middle Kingdom. Similar examples can be found in the Neues Museum which holds one Middle Kingdom example (accession number ÄM 14517) and two Predynastic examples (accession numbers ÄM 14441 and ÄM 17600, see image below) Accession Number: E.7081 Photography and Model Credit: Charlotte Sargent