Egypt 5 Pounds 1994

History

5 Pounds 1994, KM# 896, Egypt, Pharaonic Treasure / Ancient Egyptian Art, Meidum Geese

Obverse. Image Courtesy of Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS.com)

Description

The Meidum Geese painting was found in 1871 in a tomb located near the Meidum Pyramid, which was built by the pharaoh Snefru (reign 2610-2590 BC). The tomb belonged to the pharaoh’s son, the vizier Nefermaat, and the painting itself was supposedly found in a chapel dedicated to Nefermaat’s wife Itet. As members of the royal family, the pair was granted a large mastaba tomb close to the pyramid of the king and could employ the most sought-after artists of the day to help in its decoration.

The geese were depicted below a scene showing men trapping birds in a clap net and offering them to the tomb’s owner. While it is not uncommon to find scenes of fowling in the marshes in Old Kingdom tombs, this example is one of the earliest and is notable for the extraordinary quality of the painting.

Obverse	Animal (fish, bird, mammal etc.) Goose Art (sculpture, painting etc.) Painting Depicts the Meidum Geese. The Egyptian goose (Alopochen aegyptiaca) is a member of the duck, goose, and swan family Anatidae. It is native to Africa south of the Sahara and the Nile Valley. Egyptian geese were considered sacred by the Ancient Egyptians, and appeared in much of their artwork. Because of their popularity chiefly as an ornamental bird.
Reverse	Animal (fish, bird, mammal etc.) Vulture Stylized state name (Arab Republic of Egypt) divides denomination in Arabic and English and abbreviation of state name (A.R.E.) below, the date in Arabic (Hijri) and Western (Georgian) divides by a vulture with open wings. Engraver's initials (ECC) below. In Ancient Egypt, the vulture hieroglyph was the uniliteral sign used for the glottal sound (/ɑː/). The bird was held sacred to Isis in ancient Egyptian religion. The use of the vulture as a symbol of royalty in Egyptian culture and their protection by Pharaonic law made the species common on the streets of Egypt and gave rise to the name "pharaoh's chicken". 5 ٥ جمهورية مصر العربية LE جـ A.R.E. 1415 1994 ECC ١٤١٥ ١٩٩٤
Edge	Reeded (milled)