This offering table housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art is an artifact dating to the Middle Kingdom period, from approximately 1981-1952 B.C. Composed of a dense, dark green stone, the table is preserved in considerable condition considering its age. Its dimensions are approximately 44.4 cm in length, 35 cm in width, and 10.7 cm in height.
Depictions of various food items are carved in relief on the table's top surface, featuring loaves of bread, jars of beer, a haunch of beef, lettuce, and onions. These representations are not mere decorations, they are believed to provide sustenance for Amenemhat I in the afterlife. Incorporated in the center of the table is a shallow circular depression designed to accommodate liquid offerings such as water, beer, or milk.
Hieroglyphic inscriptions on the table's sides convey ritualistic offering formulas. The front of the table showcases a distinctive cartouche containing the serekh, a royal titulary structure of King Amenemhat I. The rear of the table features a traditional offering prayer recorded in five columns of hieroglyphic text.
The origination of the object can be attributed to the 12th Dynasty during the reign of Amenemhat I, who relocated the Egyptian capital to Itjtawy. Significantly, this artifact mirrors the era's artistic aesthetics, cultural ideals, and religious traditions, especially those pertinent to the afterlife.
This offering table was originally created for use in the king's mortuary temple at Lisht in Lower Egypt, although it can be traced back to Thebes in Upper Egypt. Following various excavations across multiple sites, the historical significance of the table was recognized and it was subsequently preserved.
