NILE Magazine

Because You Love Ancient Egypt
  • Home
  • DIGITAL EDITION
  • Subscribe
  • Past Issues
  • Free Samples
  • About NILE
  • Home
  • DIGITAL EDITION
  • Subscribe
  • Past Issues
  • Free Samples
  • About NILE

2016 November

Photo: (c) Trustees of the British Museum.

An adored sister

Jeff Burzacott November 20, 2016

This stunning statue, depicting Queen Arsinoe II, the sister-wife of King Ptolemy II, was discovered in the undersea ruins of Canopus, off the Egyptian Mediterranean coast. Incredibly, it was lying in a statue dump amongst other broken pieces of statuary, destined to be broken down further and repurposed in some other way.

The queen’s portrayal here is more Greek than Egyptian. She strides with her left foot forward—an Egyptian trait—while the rest of the statue is the embodiment of Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of beauty and “fortunate sailing”.

The classical treatment of the queen’s draped, flowing gown, clinging sensuously to her body,  doesn’t leave much to the imagination. This “wet look” recalls Aphrodite who was born in the sea on the southern coast of Cyprus.

After Arsinoe’s death in 270 B.C., Ptolemy II issued a decree that all temples of Egypt should host a cult statue of the divine Arsinoe.  Her divine status also reflected well on him, and Ptolemy II never remarried. This exceptional sculpture was worshipped in a temple in the city of Canopus.

The stunning statue is one of the centrepieces of the British Museum's blockbuster exhibition, "Sunken Cities: Egypt's Lost Worlds". The exhibition celebrates the discovery of two once-glittering cities that slipped beneath the waves, 1,200 years ago. The exhibition finishes November 27.

Enjoy the full article on "Sunken Cities" in the current issue of Nile Magazine.

In fact, now is the perfect time to subscribe. With the next issue due in December, you'll receive the current issue, followed by another one in a couple of weeks; that's a lot of great Nile time in December!

  • 2016 November
  • Older
  • Newer
Satisfy your passion for ancient Egypt.NILE Magazine June-July 2017 is out now. Inside:- The Tomb-1000 years of robbery and reuse.- Egypt's first ever funerary garden discovered.- World Museum's new ancient Egypt gallery.- Art and Archaeol…

Satisfy your passion for ancient Egypt.
NILE Magazine June-July 2017 is out now. Inside:
- The Tomb-1000 years of robbery and reuse.
- Egypt's first ever funerary garden discovered.
- World Museum's new ancient Egypt gallery.
- Art and Archaeology meet: the two worlds of Susan Osgood.
- The Royal Tombs of Ancient Egypt.
- Aswan's powerful governors.
- On This Day in Egyptology history.
- Plus much more.

Click on the cover to subscribe.

Featured
Mar 25, 2017
Dark, isn't it? Happy Earth Hour!
Mar 25, 2017

I love that we know the Great Sphinx so well, we can pick it from just the silhouette.

Read More →
Mar 25, 2017
Mar 24, 2017
Intact Middle Kingdom tomb discovered in Aswan
Mar 24, 2017

Shemai was the younger brother of Sarenput II, the powerful governor of Elephantine.

Read More →
Mar 24, 2017
Mar 4, 2017
The Dream Stela restored
Mar 4, 2017

The Ministry of Antiquities is working to preserve Thutmose IV's fanciful story.

Read More →
Mar 4, 2017
  • Contact NILE
  • Index
  • Write for Nile
  • Join The Team
  • FAQs
  • Societies & Clubs

All rights reserved © Nile Magazine 2024

NILE Magazine

Because You Love Ancient Egypt