Prince Arikankharer Slaying his Enemies (1922.145)
A young prince inflicts vengeance on his enemies: he holds them up by their hair, as he prepares to execute them with his large metal ax. The violence continues at the prince’s feet as a dog mangles a fallen foe. A winged goddess supports the prince from behind, holding a long fan and a weapon. The young man is Prince Arikankharer. He was a descendant of a branch of Ethiopian dynasties who were deeply intertwined with both Egyptian and classical Hellenistic culture. His enemies may be Romans, who fought intermittently against the Meroitic civilization starting in the 1st century BCE. Prince Arikankharer’s power is highlighted in this scene as he slays his adversaries.
Erica Belden, Class of 2026, College of the Holy Cross
Sophie Sundarum, Class of 2026, College of the Holy Cross
