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Egyptian Artifacts

Statue of Amenhotep III

Here I am at the British Museum with a beautifully 𓄀𓆑𓂋 preserved granodiorite π“ π“ˆ–π“π“π“ŠŒ statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 of the 18th Dynasty pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Amenhotep III π“‡³π“§π“Ž ! This particular statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 of Amenhotep III π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“Š΅π“‹Ύπ“‹† was found at his temple π“‰Ÿπ“π“‰ at Thebes π“Œ€π“π“Š–.Β 

Statue of Amenhotep III
Me with a Statue of Amenhotep III at the British Museum

In this statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾, Amenhotep III π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“Š΅π“‹Ύπ“‹† is depicted in the typical fashion of a pharaoh 𓉐𓉻! He is wearing the nemes π“ˆ–π“…“π“‹΄ head cloth on his head, and there is a Uraeus 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆗 on the forehead of the nemes π“ˆ–π“…“π“‹΄ head cloth. A Uraeus 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆗 is usually depicted as an upright snake 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆙 and is a symbol of sovereignty, royalty, and divine authority in Egypt π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š– – all characteristics usually associated with the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻! While a lot of the Uraeus 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆗 has been broken off (probably just due to the passage of time), it is clear that it was once there! 

Amenhotep III π“‡³π“§π“Ž  is also wearing the false beard π“π“ƒ€π“Šƒπ“…±π“π“Έ, which is another common accessory that the statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾π“ͺ of the pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 wore! Why did the pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 wear false beards π“π“ƒ€π“Šƒπ“…±π“π“Έπ“¦ though?! Many of the gods π“ŠΉπ“ŠΉπ“ŠΉ had beards π“π“ƒ€π“Šƒπ“…±π“π“Έπ“¦ so it was considered to be a godly trait.  By imitating the appearance of a god π“ŠΉ, the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 not only linked themselves to the gods π“ŠΉπ“ŠΉπ“ŠΉ, but also made themselves seen as gods π“ŠΉπ“ŠΉπ“ŠΉ on Earth 𓇾𓇾. A false beard π“π“ƒ€π“Šƒπ“…±π“π“Έ was only worn by the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻- no one else could wear it because no on else was a god π“ŠΉ!

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“‡“) and over 250 π“²π“²π“Ž†π“Ž†π“Ž†π“Ž†π“Ž† have been currently identified. I’m sure more will be found during excavations, and I am excited to see what will be unearthed in Egypt!