One of the distinguishing features of ancient Egyptian society is the emphasis placed on funerary religion and the afterlife. The Egyptians believed in an afterlife that mirrored their daily life on earth. This afterlife was populated by gods and goddesses and mortals, both royal and common. In order to have a successful afterlife, the body had to be preserved, ideally through mummification, and the tomb had to be equipped with all of life's necessities including furniture, jewelry, food, and drink.
Egyptian collection contains many examples of tomb statues.
This type of statue is called a ka statue and was placed in the tomb to serve as an embodiment of the individual's ka . The statue depicts Khenu in an idealized fashion as a robust young man. He wears a shoulder length wig and short kilt typical of Old Kingdom officials. Block statues were very popular in ancient Egypt from the Middle Kingdom on. The name comes from their block-like shape, which may represent the official seated with his legs drawn up to his chest and covered in a long cloak.