Torso of an Official of Nectanebo I

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The name of the man depicted is not preserved, but he boldly affirms his allegiance to Nectanebo I by positioning the king's cartouches at the forefront of the texts on the rear pillar. The slightly greenish flocked stone is linked to the site of Saft el-Hina, and indeed the left side of the back pillar portrays an address by the deceased to the priesthood of the temple of Sopdu, verifying that the statue stood in the ancient city of Per Sopdu, modern Saft el-Hina. Per Sopdu was situated at the eastern edge of the Egyptian Delta and at the western terminus of the Wadi Tumilat, which connects the Nile valley to Sinai near the Red Sea. This was a vital route during the century of Persian Occupation and the prolonged struggle that ensued in the fourth century. The temple of the city was rebuilt and greatly augmented by Nectanebo I and further enhanced by Nectanebo II.