While this looks like a small πππ΄π © sphinx ππ ±ππ€ statue ππ ±ππΎ this isnβt just any sphinx ππ ±ππ€: his name ππ is Tutu ππ²ππ²! The word βTutuβ in Egyptian can be translated as βImage ππ²πβ or βOne ππ².β The reason I am using the βπ²β instead of the βπ ±β to write the βw/uβ sound is because βπ ±β was used more for Middle/New Egyptian while βπ²β was used in Late Egyptian!
Tutu ππ²ππ² was a late addition to the Egyptian pantheon as his first appearance is around 600 B.C.E., and he became a very popular deity in the late centuries B.C.E. to the Roman period. He is considered to be an obscure god πΉ and not much is known about him – most people think they are seeing a sphinx ππ ±ππ€ when they see him!
Tutu ππ²ππ² was the son π of the goddess πΉπ Neith ππππ and he was usually represented as a sphinx ππ ±ππ€ (human head, lion body) with a snake πππππ as a tail! You can see the snake πππππ tail on the statue ππ ±ππΎ in the picture ππ ±π if you look closely!
One of the reasons that Tutu ππ²ππ² became so popular is because he was worshipped πΌπΏπ’ by ordinary people and Tutu ππ²ππ² was accessible to everyone! Tutu ππ²ππ² was thought to be the god πΉ of human fate and fortune and the slayer of demons. Tutu ππ²ππ² was commonly known as βWho Comes to the One Calling Himβ but was also referred to as βGreat of Strengthβ and βThe Lion.β
On reliefs, Tutu ππ²ππ² was also portrayed as a sphinx ππ ±ππ€ except his head was usually facing forward instead of the usual profile depiction that is in most Egyptian art. This was so Tutu ππ²ππ² could be see as approachable by all!
On this particular statue ππ ±ππΎ, the inlaid glass eyes are missing! This statue ππ ±ππΎ is also made of limestone ππππ and is dated to the Ptolemaic Period.
This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost.Β
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