Reserve Head of Nofer

Reserve Head of Nofer

4th dynasty (Old Kingdom), ca 2551-2494 BC

Unknown

Limestone

27.1 cm tall

Egypt, Giza, Royal Cemetery, burial chamber of tomb G 2110

Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Nofer was a treasurer and royal scribe in the 4th dynasty of Egypt, serving the pharaoh's Khufu and Khafra in the mid- third millennium BC. He was a well distinguished official, who was buried in the royal cemetery. He held numerous other positions, including “Secretary of All the Secrets of the King”, “Overseer of the Arsenal”, and “Estate Manager”.

Description: 
The Reserve Head of Nofer is lifesize and portrays a male face. It appears to have been crafted in a rather realisitic style. The head is composed of limestone and was not painted, giving it a white, almost unfinished appearance. There is a distinct incision across the forehead, distinguishing a hairline which extends to immediately in front of the ears.  The eyes are large and almond shaped, with faintly carved eyebrows above them. The cheekbones are high and prominent, which makes the face seem rather long. The nose is large and has a notable ridge, with multiple chisel marks across the front surface. The lips are closed giving the reserve head a neutral expression. Both ears have suffered damage and have been removed or chiseled away. Running along the back of the head, from the base of the neck to the crown of the skull, is a long incised marked. The chin is lifted, giving it a slightly upwards gaze. 

Significance:
The Reserve Head of Nofer is a prime example of the beginning of a shift from idealism to realism in Old Kingdom portraiture. The face has distinct individualistic features, primarily the bridged nose and elevated cheekbones. This head is meant to represent a specific person, rather than portray an idealized and typical view of what a man in this position should look like. The function of this Reserve Head further influences the choice in the sculptor’s design style. Reserve heads in the 4^th dynasty were buried in burial shafts of tombs, sometimes next to their owners sarcophagi, and acted as a double for the head of the mummy, in case it were to suffer significant damage in the burial or mummification process. It should be noted that this was not a widespread practice; reserve heads were only found in the earliest cemetaries of Giza. It is believed that this practice only occured for a couple generations, and was localized to this area. These heads played an important role; the Egyptians believed a part of their spirit, the Ba, was tied to the remains of the body and would continue existing following death. If the face of the body was destroyed, then the Ba would not be able to live on as it would not have a vessel resembling its original “host”. By constructing these reserve heads in the likeness of the person and including it in their burial, it would ensure that the Ba would have a “home” to reside in regardless of damage or removal of the body. One mystery surrounding this reserve head is the marks on the nose, as well as the damage to the ears. Leading theories suggest that this damage may have been the result of the reserve heads being utilized as molds for plaster casts. As the users removed the materials, it could have potentially caused the damage to the ears of this head. On the contrary, these marks could have simply been leftover as a result of the technique the sculptors used to carve these portraits

http://www.mfa.org/collections/object/reserve-head-of-nofer-134891

Simpson, William K. “A IV Dynasty Portrait Head.” The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin, vol. 7, no. 10, 1949, pp. 286–292. JSTOR, JSTOR, 

Smith, William Stevenson. Ancient Egypt as Represented in the Museum of Fine Arts,Boston: 6th ed."  Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, 1960 pp. 34-40

Lacovara, Peter. The World of Ancient Egypt: A Daily Life Encyclopedia. ABC-CLIO Publishing. 2016. Pp. 50-51

Handbook of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston 14th ed. The Fenway Huntington Avenue. October, 1920. pp. 26-30

Christopher Peppe