Statue of Mesehti
Period: Middle Kingdom, 11th Dynasty
Date: ca. 2000 BCE
Material: Wood

Mesehti was an important Egyptian official who lived during the Eleventh Dynasty (around 2000 BCE) in the city of Asyut, Middle Egypt. He is best known for his richly furnished tomb, which contained two famous sets of wooden model soldiers—one representing Egyptian troops and the other Nubian archers.

These finely carved and painted figures, now preserved in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, were placed in his tomb to serve and protect him in the afterlife, reflecting the ancient Egyptian belief in the continuation of earthly life beyond death. Mesehti held high administrative titles such as Governor of Asyut and Overseer of Troops, demonstrating his political and military authority during a period of regional division in Egypt’s history. His tomb and its models provide invaluable insight into Middle Kingdom funerary practices, military organization, and the artistry of ancient Egyptian wooden sculpture.