This is definitely a unique piece! I had never seen one like it in another museum which is why I was so interested in it!
The Brooklyn Museum has it listed as a “Model of a Temple Gateway.” The actual function of the model is unclear because it is not a model that was used by an architect! It is listed as being “ceremonial” – which is archaeology speak for “we have no idea what this is for”!
The sunken reliefs around the base of the model show Pharaoh Seti I 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓌻𓇌𓁣𓈖 in a kneeling position making offerings to several forms of the sun-god. Khepri 𓆣𓂋𓇋𓁛 (the rising sun), Ra-Horkathy 𓅊𓏔𓏔𓏤 (sun at the highest point in the sky – known as the zenith), and Atum 𓇋𓏏𓂟𓀭 (the setting sun and one of the creation gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹) can all be seen.
The cartouche shown is one of the variations of Seti I’s 𓇳𓁦𓏠 throne name. Usually it’s just written as 𓇳𓁦𓏠 (Eternal is the Truth of Ra) but here it’s shown as 𓇳𓏠𓁧𓂇𓇳 (Eternal is the Truth of Ra, the image of Ra).