egypt-museum:

Model of Nubian Archers

These wooden models of 40 Nubian archers are grouped together on the same pedestal and arranged in 10 rows of four. They were found in the Tomb of Mesehti at Asyut around 2000 BC, during the 11th Dynasty. Each archer is holding in one hand a bow and in the other a bunch of arrows.

They are wearing red kilts with green designs and a flap of cloth in the center decorated with green geometrical designs. They wear black curled wigs, white headbands, anklets, and necklaces. The whites of their eyes give life to the black bodies. The archers are all shown barefoot, with their left legs stretched forward so that they appear to be marching in unison with long strides.

Now in the Egyptian Museum, Cairo. JE 30969

Photos: Sandro Vannini