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Egyptian Artifacts

The Hatshepsut Gallery (Part 3)

I have written about these small π“ˆ–π“†“π“‹΄π“…© β€œKneeling Statues of Hatshepsut” in the past, but I have never posted a picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 with all four 𓏽 of them togetherΒ π“ˆ–π“Š—! Usually due to crowds at the MET, it is so hard to get all four 𓏽 in a single picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏!

Since I wrote about the big statuesΒ π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύπ“ͺΒ yesterday, let’s look at the smallΒ π“ˆ–π“†“π“‹΄π“…© statuesΒ π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύπ“ͺΒ todayΒ π“‡π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“‡³! I was so happy 𓄫𓅱𓏛 to get some fun pictures 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 in the HatshepsutΒ π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“ŽΉπ“π“„‚π“π“€Όπ“ͺΒ Gallery!Β 

In these statues π“„šπ“ˆ–𓏏𓏭𓀾π“ͺ, Hatshepsut π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“ŽΉπ“π“„‚π“π“€Όπ“ͺ is kneeling and is seen holding the nemset jar π“Œ.  The jar π“Œ has the djed pillar π“Š½ adorning the front.  The djed pillar π“Š½ is thought to be the spine of Osiris π“Ήπ“Š¨π“€­, and it represents stability and endurance – both are attributes a Pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 needed in order to be a successful ruler π“‹Ύ!

While tiny π“ˆ–π“†“π“‹΄π“…©, these statues π“„šπ“ˆ–𓏏𓏭𓀾π“ͺ adorned her temple π“‰Ÿπ“π“‰ at Deir el-Bahri 𓂦𓂋𓂦π“₯𓉐. At least eight of these statues π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύπ“ͺ were found on the joint expedition between the MET and the Egyptian government during the excavation of Deir el-Bahri 𓂦𓂋𓂦π“₯𓉐. Four 𓏽 of these are in the MET, and are in varying conditions. 

They were most likely used to line the upper court at her temple π“‰Ÿπ“π“‰, and are thought to be intended for her Heb Sed festival (a festival used to celebrate 30 π“Ž†π“Ž†π“Ž† years of rule, and then celebrated every three 𓏼 years after the initial 30 π“Ž†π“Ž†π“Ž†). Hatshepsut π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“ŽΉπ“π“„‚π“π“€Όπ“ͺ, ever the Pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 to break from tradition, instead celebrated hers in the 16th π“Ž†π“Ώ year of her rule!