An artwork on Galleree from Cleveland Museum of Art.
About the artwork
Head of King Userkafc. 2454–2447 BCE
Despite the monumental achievements of the Old Kingdom’s Pyramid Age, few images of its rulers survive. This head has been identified as King Userkaf, the first king of Dynasty 5. Userkaf built a modest pyramid at Saqqara and a temple to the sun god Ra at Abusir. According to later tradition, the first three kings of Dynasty 5 were the children of Ra himself and a mortal woman. From Userkaf’s reign on, the kings of Egypt were called "Sons of Ra." Here, Userkaf wears the two basic items of regalia that identify him as king: the tall, conical White Crown of Upper (southern) Egypt, and the royal false beard.
Visible chisel marks on the side of the crown imply that another figure once stood to the king's right; only a god or goddess could have stood in this prominent position.
painted limestone
Overall: 6.5 x 7.2 cm (2 9/16 x 2 13/16 in.); Face: 4.8 x 4.8 cm (1 7/8 x 1 7/8 in.)
Leonard C. Hanna, Jr. Fund
In the gentle embrace of time’s unfolding, echoes of a great civilization linger within the sands of ancient Egypt. Among the vast achievements of the Old Kingdom’s Pyramid Age, a veil of mystery shrouds its rulers, leaving only whispers of their grandeur.
Amidst these echoes, one solitary head emerges, carefully carved from life itself — a striking representation of King Userkaf, the very first monarch of the illustrious Dynasty 5. With a humble enormity, Userkaf anchored his legacy at Saqqara, where he commissioned the construction of a modest pyramid. Nearby, at Abusir, he honored the sun god Ra with a temple that reached skyward, blending the divine with the earthly.
Legend has it that the first three kings of this new dynasty claimed lineage from Ra, born of the sun god and a mortal woman, forever linking their fate to celestial brilliance. From Userkaf’s reign onward, Egypt’s kings proudly bore the title "Sons of Ra," evoking not just royal blood, but a divine connection that swelled through their veins.
In the finely sculpted features of Userkaf's visage, we see the embodiment of authority and reverence. Positioned atop his head is the conical White Crown of Upper Egypt, its tall stature declaring his sovereignty over the land. His regal demeanor is enhanced further by the royal false beard, a symbol of kingship shining with dignity and power, the iconic markers of a ruler who gazes resolutely into eternity.
Here, in this serene moment captured in stone, one cannot help but feel the weight of history and the gentle call of the past, as it beckons us to remember the silent stories told by those who once ruled — daughters and sons of the sun, casting their luminous shadows across the ages.
About the artist
Creating transformative experiences through art “for the benefit of all the people forever.”The Cleveland Museum of Art is renowned for the quality and breadth of its collection, which includes more than 66,500 artworks and spans 6,000 years of achievement in the arts. The artworks shared on this platform are sourced from the museum's Open Access data under the CC0 license. No endorsement is implied.Address: 11150 East Boulevard, Cleveland, OH, USA 44106
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