Featured What Is This Scene?

I think our cameo cutter picked & chose his elements from various sources & we'll fall down a rabbit hole looking for narrative or historical consistency.

What Egyptian dance really looked like:

 

Totally true. As a romantic depiction of Ancient Egypt, it’s beautiful enough to be getting on with

 

OK. Fine. Tamed lion sitting majestically near the Pharaoh, and a hunting dog lying at his feet. Or where you thinking other critters?

 

That's her for sure. Good spotting. Time traveler? Something about the clothes?

 

Thank you AJ. With your expertise and love of things beautiful interesting, I take that as a high compliment. I had to look up this Potifar reference. Hmmm. I see the reference to Egypt in the story, but do you think that is the wife trying to seduce him? Of course, he refused.

 

There seems to be a more complex story that I first saw. Not having any knowledge of this story robs me of understanding the full context, but if you think it follows that theme I will be happy with that.

 

Those wicked women.

 

An early #MeToo incident.

 

Just my terrible sense of humour! She is depicted dancing for both ancient and modern Egyptians, so she’s either a time traveller or thousands of years old

 

What it really looked like ....................

 

No Steve Martin King Tut?

I'm kinda liking the idea of Joseph + cutter's fantasy. So much more exotic than a tussle in a dark bedroom.

 

With the staff being held by the man on the right being such a prominent item in this scene, maybe this is meant to be Aaron or Moses before Pharaoh? A little pre-plague entertainment?

 

The staff certainly is prominent on the cameo & in the story of Moses. This looks like a young man. Moses is typically depicted looking more patriarchal, but...?

We may be having a plague, but at least it's not frogs.

 

Aaron usually carried/used the staff...but I would expect them both to be pictured if this was meant to be either...

 

Doesn't Moses' staff turn into a snake at at some point? When trying to figure out cameos, I go on the assumption that the best known stories are the most likely to make a cameo appearance. We may be chasing a chimaera cobbled together with elements from different sources.

 

Why? Moses had history in Egypt without Aaron. You wouldn't be a little bit biased?

 

That was Aaron's staff, usually referred to as 'Aaron's rod'. But Moses also had a staff.
In those days you could still get the staff.

 

My cats have staff. OK, so it's Aaron with the prominent staff (hush, komokwa!) & he wouldn't be there without Moses along. I think they can be ruled out.

 

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The carver does such a good job on the dancer's feet but the feet on the guy on the right appear to be going in opposite directions? Also does he have a tail?