Gold Statuette of Amun

This gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 statuette 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 of the god 𓊹 Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 is so beautiful 𓄤 to see in person! In the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 the statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 looks large but it is only about 7 inches (~18cm) tall! This statue is dated to the 22nd Dynasty (c. 945–712 B.C.E.). While the artistic features of the statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 definitely reflect this Third Intermediate Period, there are some callbacks to the 18th Dynasty artistic styles (the facial features in particular). 

This solid gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 is a very rare example of the statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 that filled the sanctuaries of the temples 𓉟𓏏𓉐. There is a trace of a loop on Amun’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 crown, which means that this statuette 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 could have been worn by a priest 𓊹𓍛 or by another statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾. Or, the statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 could have been mounted on top of a scepter or standard. The exact use is speculation right now! The color of gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 was often associated with the sun 𓆄𓅱𓇶, and the skin of the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 were thought to be made of gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉. 

Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 is depicted with his flat topped crown, with the characteristic feathers 𓆄𓆄𓆄 having been lost in antiquity. He is wearing the false beard, and is carrying the Ankh 𓋹, a symbol of life 𓋹𓈖𓐍, in his hand. In the other hand he carries a scimitar 𓌛𓏺, which in temple reliefs, Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 is usually seen presenting to the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻. This gift of a scimitar 𓌛𓏺 is usually meant to ensure military victories!

The god 𓊹 Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 gained popularity during the Middle Kingdom, however, it was during the New Kingdom (18th Dynasty in particular) that Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 became the most important/most prominent god 𓊹 in the Egyptian pantheon. Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 had many different roles and was worshipped 𓇼𓄿𓀢 as a creator god, solar god, fertility god, warrior god, and king of the gods. Amun’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 is also considered the “universal god” meaning that his power permeated the cosmos and all that the cosmos contained!