Seneb, the most famous dwarf in ancient Egypt
A special love story that adorns the halls of the Egyptian Museum. Seneb and his wife, his companion, put aside all obstacles for the sake of a happy home.
Seneb is considered the most famous dwarf in Egyptian civilization. He held a high position during the Fourth Dynasty and the beginning of the Fifth Dynasty, where he was the head of the dwarves of the royal palace and was responsible for taking care of the royal clothes.
What this dwarf is most famous for is his wonderful statue that was found inside a stone sarcophagus in his tomb in Giza. It is made of colored limestone and is 34 cm high and 33 and a half cm wide. It is currently preserved in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.
Seneb appears sitting with his wife (Senitis) on a rectangular chair. His wife’s right hand rests on his shoulder and her left hand rests on his arm in a family-friendly position. She is wearing a shoulder-length wig and a long white robe. As for their son and daughter, the sculptor represented them standing in front of their father in the position that should have been His feet occupy him, as if the artist wanted to compensate his two sons for what he lost from the Creator. Thus, the ancient Egyptian artist achieved the utmost success by coordinating a balanced unit of family members, and this is out of respect on the part of the artist for the father’s condition that is beyond his control.
Source:
Art in the Old Kingdom
Muhammad Anwar Shukri
Egypt_Historical_Guide