Sculptures
the sun god on a lotus flower
The Sun God Emerging from a Lotus Flower
Nature of the Aretfect:
· Wooden sculpture painted gesso
· Category #1
Find-spot:
· Floor of the entrance corridor, underneath rubble
· Assumed that it was removed from the tomb by robbers in antiquity and discarded on the way out
Purpose:
· Painted with the features of Tutankhamun, having this model of the
sun god’s rebirth, it was thought through the process of imitative magic that
this sculpture would be an instrument that would enable the Pharaoh to be reborn
as the sun each day
Materials it was made from:
· Wood covered with gesso and painted
Decoration:
· The face of Tutankhamun rising from a lotus flower
· Elongated skull reminiscent of representations of the Amarna Princesses who may have been his half sisters
· Face of a child, as would be expected in this context, though the perforation of the lobes of the ears is unusual in a newborn child
Explanation:
· The sun god on lotus flower statues tells us about who Tutankhamun worshiped above all other gods
· It also shows how the ancient Egyptians believed that statues of a god had mystical powers, and would help and protect Tutankhamun in the afterlife
· It shows the detail they went to on every item that was placed in the tomb, and accompanying the Pharaoh into death
Nature of the Aretfect:
· Wooden sculpture painted gesso
· Category #1
Find-spot:
· Floor of the entrance corridor, underneath rubble
· Assumed that it was removed from the tomb by robbers in antiquity and discarded on the way out
Purpose:
· Painted with the features of Tutankhamun, having this model of the
sun god’s rebirth, it was thought through the process of imitative magic that
this sculpture would be an instrument that would enable the Pharaoh to be reborn
as the sun each day
Materials it was made from:
· Wood covered with gesso and painted
Decoration:
· The face of Tutankhamun rising from a lotus flower
· Elongated skull reminiscent of representations of the Amarna Princesses who may have been his half sisters
· Face of a child, as would be expected in this context, though the perforation of the lobes of the ears is unusual in a newborn child
Explanation:
· The sun god on lotus flower statues tells us about who Tutankhamun worshiped above all other gods
· It also shows how the ancient Egyptians believed that statues of a god had mystical powers, and would help and protect Tutankhamun in the afterlife
· It shows the detail they went to on every item that was placed in the tomb, and accompanying the Pharaoh into death