27. Funerary Cone of Penra

Funerary cones are known mostly from the New Kingdom. Made in different shapes, they were usually formed by hand. They have been found in many Egyptian sites, as well as colonial sites in Nubia as far south as the Third Cataract, but most were excavated in Thebes. They were probably once inserted into the facades of tombs or stacked on the floors of their courtyards. Many are painted on the front suggesting a decorative function. They were also impressed with seals that bear the names and titles of specific individuals, indicating that their primary purpose was probably to identify a tomb’s owner. This funerary cone is not intact: only its front side survives. The inscription reads: “Chief of the Medjay, overseer of the foreign lands belonging to Kharu [in Syria], first charioteer of his majesty, Penra justified”. In the New Kingdom the term ‘Medjay’ did not refer to a particular community, but it was an occupational title related to compliance, police and security work. The appreciation for the military skills of those previously identified as Medjay expanded the meaning of the word and embedded it in Egyptian culture and administration. Scan the brown QR code below to see how the cone looked like before it was broken and how it was placed in a tomb.