A “Ritual Statue” was used in ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 on processional boats to show the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 worshipping the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹. Usually, the statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 that appeared on these processional/ceremonial boats were of the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 exclusively. This particular ritual statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 is the earliest one found from ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 that depicts a pharaoh 𓉐𓉻!
Another important aspect of this statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 is that it is made of bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦 – with the exception of a few Middle Kingdom examples, this statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 seems to be the start of bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦 statuary in ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖! Both ritual statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 and bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦 statuary became much more common during the Third Intermediate and Late Periods.
My Nonno loved bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦 statuary, and I do too because they are always so well preserved and the details can easily be seen! On this statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 in particular, the gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 around the eyes 𓁹𓏏𓏦 is still intact (some of the gold was restored) as is the nemset jar 𓏌𓏺! The inlays in the eyebrows are missing, but might have been gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 or stone 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓊪. While an arm 𓂝𓏺 may be missing, this gives us insight into the artistic ingenuity of the Egyptian artisans; the arms 𓂝𓏦 attach perfectly into the grooves provided, which allowed for more detailed work!
This statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 is dated to the 18th Dynasty (New Kingdom) and we know that because the throne name of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Thutmosis III 𓇳𓏠𓆣 appears on the belt that the statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 is wearing! Kneeling bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦 statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 of pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 dated to the New Kingdom are extremely rare!
Egyptologists can also date this statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 to the 18th Dynasty based on the clothes it is wearing; the combination of the Khepresh Crown 𓆣𓂋𓈙𓋙 and the way the skirt is styled (longer in the front) are very typical pharaonic fashion for the 18th Dynasty!
This statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 is also very small 𓈖𓆓𓋴𓅩 and is only 5 inches (13.1 cm) tall!
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