10. ‘Reserve Head’ of Kanefer 

This head probably represents the owner of the tomb in which it was found, Kanefer. He held the titles of ‘overseer of commissions’ and ‘controller of bow case bearers’ during the reign of Khufu, owner of the Great Pyramid of Giza. Khufu expanded the exploitation of mineral resources in Nubia and captured a large number of people there, like his father Sneferu. Egyptian archery units probably included people from Nubia. ‘Reserve heads’ are mostly known from Giza, with only 36 examples known. They relate to a northern Egyptian funerary custom. Carved from limestone, some were finished with plaster and have traces of paint. Their striking individuality makes them some of the finest Old Kingdom artistic products. Originally they were probably placed inside the funerary chamber, as magical proxies of the deceased’s body in case something happened to the mummy’s head. They may have been a response to metaphysical anxieties about ‘losing one’s head’, seen as a threat to transitioning into the afterlife.