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Egyptian Artifacts

Large Granite Sphinx of Hatshepsut

This large granite Sphinx of Hatshepsut π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“ŽΉπ“π“„‚π“π“€Όπ“ͺ is not in the β€œHatshepsut Gallery” (as I like to call it) at the MET – in fact, she is right next to the Temple of Dendur! I find it an interesting placement in the museum because the temple π“‰Ÿπ“π“‰ and the Sphinx are from two very different time periods in Egyptian history. The temple of Dendur was built by Augustus while Hatshepsut π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“ŽΉπ“π“„‚π“π“€Όπ“ͺ ruled during the New Kingdom.

The Sphinx was one of six large sphinxes that would line her temple π“‰Ÿπ“π“‰ at Deir el-Bahri. It is made of granite, which was mined at Aswan and then transported ~500 miles up the Nile π“‡‹π“π“‚‹π“…±π“ˆ—π“ˆ˜π“ˆ‡π“Ί. Granite is a super dense rock π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“‚‹π“Šͺ so this was no easy task!

This is a large and absolutely beautiful π“„€ piece in real life. Hatshepsut π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“ŽΉπ“π“„‚π“π“€Όπ“ͺ is depicted wearing the nemes π“ˆ–π“…“π“‹΄ head cloth and the false beard – typical fashion for a pharaoh 𓉐𓉻!