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Egyptian Artifacts

Head of Amenhotep III

Today π“‡π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“‡³ we are going to speak some more about the very interesting the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Amenhotep III π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“Š΅π“‹Ύπ“‹† who ruled π“‹Ύπ“ˆŽπ“ during the 18th Dynasty!

Amenhotep III
Head of pharaoh Amenhotep III at the British Museum

Fun fact: more statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾π“ͺ exist of Amenhotep III π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“Š΅π“‹Ύπ“‹† than of any other pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 (sorry Rameses II π“©π“›π“ˆ˜π“„Ÿπ“‹΄π“‡“) – over 250 π“²π“²π“Ž†π“Ž†π“Ž†π“Ž†π“Ž† have been currently identified. He was a prolific builder, undertaking many building projects at once and the largest statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾π“ͺ of himself stand over 60 π“Ž†π“Ž†π“Ž†π“Ž†π“Ž†π“Ž† feet tall – these are now known as the Colossi of Memnon. His reign π“‹Ύπ“ˆŽπ“ is considered to be peak prosperity – economically and artistically for Egypt π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š–.Β 

Yesterday 𓋴𓆑𓇳, I spoke how the Sekhmet π“Œ‚π“π“…“π“π“ statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾π“ͺ were made of black π“†Žπ“…“ granodiorite π“ π“ˆ–π“π“π“ŠŒ to represent rebirth π“„Ÿπ“Ώπ“…±. However, all statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾π“ͺ of Amenhotep III π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“Š΅π“‹Ύπ“‹† himself were made of either red granite π“…“π“Œ³π“π“ŽΆ (like the one in this picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏), or quartzite to represent his close connections to the sun 𓇳𓏺 god π“ŠΉ Ra 𓇳𓏺𓁛, since these stones π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“‚‹π“Šͺπ“ͺ are much lighter in color. 

Amenhotep III π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“Š΅π“‹Ύπ“‹† wanted to be associated with Ra 𓇳𓏺𓁛 and his other manifestations. He was often referred to as β€œheir of Ra” or β€œRa’s chosen one” and even the β€œEye of Ra” just like Sekhmet π“Œ‚π“π“…“π“π“ herself – I guess the usual β€œSon of Ra 𓅭𓇳” wasn’t enough for Amenhotep III π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“Š΅π“‹Ύπ“‹†! Again, Akhenaten π“‡‹π“π“ˆ–π“‡³π“…œπ“π“ˆ– was probably heavily influenced by his father’s obsession with solar 𓇳 deities  π“ŠΉπ“ŠΉπ“ŠΉ which paved the way for Atenism. 

This particular statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 shows Amenhotep III π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“Š΅π“‹Ύπ“‹† in a very youthful appearance. He is wearing both the white crown π“„€π“‹‘ of Upper Egypt 𓇓 and the red crown π“‚§π“ˆ™π“‚‹π“π“‹” of Lower Egypt 𓆀 with the characteristic Uraeus 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆗 on the front of the crowns. This piece was found in the Temple of Mut 𓏏𓅑𓁐 at Karnak. 

𓏏𓅱𓏏 πŸ“Έ by Nonno!