Day 26 - Gold statuette of Amun
Februar y 23, 2018
Gallery 125 has many objects from an extended period of time - ca. 1000-600 B.C. My eye is drawn to four wooden funerary stelae; they are painted in vivid shades of turquoise, tan, and white that remain intact.
The object I want to write about, both because it is made of gold and stands out for that reason and because it is so finely made, is a small statuette of Amun, maybe 6 inches high. Its dating is unclear; the description says it comes from the Third Intermediate Period, ca. 1070-664 B.C. I realize that this period is longer than the U.S.A. has been in existence.
The god is standing, or rather, striding, his left foot forward. His crowned head looks rather small compared with his long, slender body. He has pronounced cheekbones, a slim nose, and raised eyebrows. The work is so delicate that you can see the braided pattern of his beard. He is nude to the waist, and his nipples and navel are both clearly depicted. He wears a very finely pleated skirt, cinched by a hip belt. His arms and torso suggest the underlying musculature. In contrast, below his rather knobby knees, which protrude from under his skirt, his legs look like long gold cylinders; except for the fact that feet are attached, you wouldn't necessarily recognize them as legs.
In his left hand, which extends downward, he holds an ankh, the symbol of everlasting life. In his ight hand, which is raised across his chest, he grips what I thought I remembered from my Egyptian travels as a fly-whisk but what the caption describes as a scimitar; it is a symbol of power. In fact, this small figure feels both powerful and beautiful.
I realize that I have no idea how it was made. Was it cast? Wrought?
The description says that originally the statue wore two tall feathers with a sun disk that concealed a loop; I find it hard to imagine what this looked like, but I obviously will yield to others' expertise. It also says that the statuette was a temple donation. It was obviously given by someone of great wealth--and exquisite taste.
The object I want to write about, both because it is made of gold and stands out for that reason and because it is so finely made, is a small statuette of Amun, maybe 6 inches high. Its dating is unclear; the description says it comes from the Third Intermediate Period, ca. 1070-664 B.C. I realize that this period is longer than the U.S.A. has been in existence.
The god is standing, or rather, striding, his left foot forward. His crowned head looks rather small compared with his long, slender body. He has pronounced cheekbones, a slim nose, and raised eyebrows. The work is so delicate that you can see the braided pattern of his beard. He is nude to the waist, and his nipples and navel are both clearly depicted. He wears a very finely pleated skirt, cinched by a hip belt. His arms and torso suggest the underlying musculature. In contrast, below his rather knobby knees, which protrude from under his skirt, his legs look like long gold cylinders; except for the fact that feet are attached, you wouldn't necessarily recognize them as legs.
In his left hand, which extends downward, he holds an ankh, the symbol of everlasting life. In his ight hand, which is raised across his chest, he grips what I thought I remembered from my Egyptian travels as a fly-whisk but what the caption describes as a scimitar; it is a symbol of power. In fact, this small figure feels both powerful and beautiful.
I realize that I have no idea how it was made. Was it cast? Wrought?
The description says that originally the statue wore two tall feathers with a sun disk that concealed a loop; I find it hard to imagine what this looked like, but I obviously will yield to others' expertise. It also says that the statuette was a temple donation. It was obviously given by someone of great wealth--and exquisite taste.
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