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Egyptian Artifacts

Bronze Statue of Imhotep

Small Bronze Statue of Imhotep at The MET

Seeing the small π“ˆ–π“†“π“‹΄π“…© bronze π“ˆ”π“€π“ˆ’π“¦ statues π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύπ“ͺ of Imhotep π“‡π“…“π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ are one of my favorite parts of going to the museum! My Nonno loved Imhotep π“‡π“…“π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ and always pointed him out to us! We even played a game as to who could find Imhotep π“‡π“…“π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ first!Β I had to get a picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 of me with the statue π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύ!

Nicole (me) with Imhotep at The MET

Imhotep π“‡π“…“π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ, whose name π“‚‹π“ˆ– means β€œhe who comes in peace,” was a high official π“‹΄π“‚‹π“€€ (β€œoverseer of the works” and a priest π“ŠΉπ“› of Ptah π“Šͺπ“π“Ž›π“±) during the reign π“‹Ύ of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Djoser 𓂦 during the 3rd Dynasty. Imhotep π“‡π“…“π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ is most famous for constructing the Step Pyramid 𓍋𓅓𓂋𓉴 at Memphis π“ π“ˆ–π“„€π“†‘π“‚‹π“‰΄π“Š– (modern day Saqqara). In addition to being a priest π“ŠΉπ“› and architect, he is also connected with medicine, even though no written evidence of his achievements in medicine has been found.

Even though Imhotep π“‡π“…“π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ lived during the Old Kingdom and reached demigod status (he is thought to be the son π“…­ of Ptah π“Šͺπ“π“Ž›π“±) within a century of his death, it wasn’t until the Late Period/Ptolemaic Period that the worship 𓇼𓄿𓀒 of Imhotep π“‡π“…“π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ reached its peak. Imhotep π“‡π“…“π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ is one of the few commoners to ever reach godly status and cult centers dedicated to his worship 𓇼𓄿𓀒 were located at Memphis π“ π“ˆ–π“„€π“†‘π“‚‹π“‰΄π“Š–, Philae, and Thebes π“Œ€π“π“Š–. His tomb π“‡‹π“«π“Šƒπ“‰ has never been found, though if I had to guess, I would think it would be at Saqqara – near the Step Pyramid 𓍋𓅓𓂋𓉴!