OC 005 · Tomb model · Africa

Model bakery and brewery

A wooden model of figures grinding grain and working at jars
Photo: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, CC0, via The Met Open Access.
Number on this site
OC 005
What it is
Tomb model
Made
About 1981 to 1975 BC
Period
Middle Kingdom, Dynasty 12
Material
Wood, gesso, paint, linen
Size
73 cm long
Found
In Meketre’s tomb at Thebes. Thebes (Luxor)
Now held by
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Museum number
20.3.12

Small figures grind grain and work at jars: bread and beer, the two staples made from the river’s harvest.1

Where it sits in human time

Made about 4,000 years ago. On this strip, each step to the right is ten times closer to today.

300,000 years ago10,0003,0001,000100nowModel bakery and brewery

Seen in

Filed under

Sources for this page

Every number on this page comes from one of these. How we check.

Last reviewed 12 November 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.

  1. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Model Bakery and Brewery from the Tomb of Meketre. Dynasty 12, ca. 1981–1975 BC. Collection record 544258, Open Access (CC0). www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/544258Used for: Making bread and beer, as modelled for Meketre’s tomb. Checked 12 November 2026.