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Egyptian Artifacts

Bronze Statue of the Goddess Neith

My Nonno loved bronze π“ˆ”π“€π“ˆ’π“¦ statues π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύπ“ͺ, and would always point them out to us in museums! Bronze π“ˆ”π“€π“ˆ’π“¦ statuary π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύ became very popular in Egypt π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š– starting around the Third Intermediate Period (26th Dynasty), and became very abundant in the Ptolemaic Period. However, the demand for bronze statues during this period resulted in mass production and a loss of craftsmanship and quality over time.

The Bronze Age started due to the rise in the Sumerian civilization in Mesopotamia. Due to war and trade, bronze π“ˆ”π“€π“ˆ’π“¦ was able to come to Egypt π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š– around 700 B.C.E. and replace the traditional stone π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“‚‹π“Šͺ and clay statues π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύπ“ͺ.

The bronze π“ˆ”π“€π“ˆ’π“¦ pieces are great antiquities because they can preserve small details over long periods of time. On this statue π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύ of Neith π“ˆ–π“π“‹Œπ“€­, the broad collar π“…±π“‹΄π“π“ŽΊπ“‹ around her neck is still perfectly painted on, along with the design on the Red Crown π“‚§π“ˆ™π“‚‹π“π“‹”! Beautiful π“„€ bronze π“ˆ”π“€π“ˆ’π“¦ pieces can be seen in museums around the world 𓇾𓇾!

Neith π“ˆ–π“π“‹Œπ“€­ was one of the goddesses π“ŠΉπ“ŠΉπ“ŠΉπ“ of war and rose to popularity during the 16th Dynasty because her central city of worship, Sais, was the capital of Egypt π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š– at the time. She is also the protector of Duamutef 𓇼𓅐𓏏𓆑, the son π“…­ of Horus π“…ƒπ“€­ whose canopic jar contains the stomach 𓂋𓄣𓏻. Due to this, she was seen as a protector π“…“π“‚π“Ž‘π“€œ of the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱 along with Isis π“Š¨π“π“₯, Nephytys 𓉠𓏏𓆇, and Selket π“Šƒπ“‚‹π“ˆŽπ“π“. She is usually seen wearing the Red Crown π“‚§π“ˆ™π“‚‹π“π“‹” of Lower Egypt 𓆀 or with a shield and crossed arrows on her head.

Along with Sekhmet π“Œ‚π“π“…“π“π“, Neith π“ˆ–π“π“‹Œπ“€­ was one of my Nonno’s favorite deities! He always made sure to point her out in museums, and bronze π“ˆ”π“€π“ˆ’π“¦ statues π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύπ“ͺ of Neith π“ˆ–π“π“‹Œπ“€­ are abundant because she was a very popular goddess π“ŠΉπ“ during the Bronze Age!