Pharaohs ๐๐ป๐ฆ were commonly represented as sphinxes ๐๐ ฑ๐ญ๐ฆ in ancient Egyptian art for many reasons. A sphinx ๐๐ ฑ๐ญ is a mythical creature that has the body of a lion ๐ณ๐น๐ฟ๐ and the head of a human. In ancient Egypt ๐๐ ๐๐, lions ๐ณ๐น๐ฟ๐๐ช have been associated with kingship ๐๐ since prehistoric times due to their strength ๐ and ferocity. The sphinx ๐๐ ฑ๐ญ was the perfect representation of the strength ๐ of the pharaoh ๐๐ป due to its lion ๐ณ๐น๐ฟ๐ body, while the face still preserved the image ๐๐ ฑ๐ of the king ๐ himself.
This magnificent sphinx ๐๐ ฑ๐ญ is a representation of the 12th Dynasty Pharaoh ๐๐ป Senwosret III ๐ณ๐๐๐๐. Senwosret III ๐ณ๐๐๐๐ has very distinctive facial features, so he is very easy to spot in Middle Kingdom art. Senwosret III ๐ณ๐๐๐๐ is wearing the characteristic nemes head cloth ๐๐ ๐ด and false beard ๐๐๐๐ ฑ๐๐ธ, which are both signs of kingship ๐๐.
While this is not a professional term, to me, Senwosret III ๐ณ๐๐๐๐ looks like a โsad and tired old man,โ which is how I distinguish him from statues ๐๐ ฑ๐๐พ๐ช of other pharaohs ๐๐ป๐ฆ. This depiction of a pharaoh demonstrates how in the Middle Kingdom, some of the art took a more realistic approach, instead of the typical idealistic approach. Usually, pharaohs ๐๐ป๐ฆ and people were shown at their best, not how they actually looked. However, this sphinx ๐๐ ฑ๐ญ shows a detachment from idealistic depictions.
This sphinx ๐๐ ฑ๐ญ is in a crouching position, which to the Egyptians ๐๐๐๐๐ช meant that it was a guardian of a sacred place, such as a temple ๐๐๐ or an important building. This is why rows or lines of sphinxes have been found at various temples ๐๐๐๐ช around Egypt ๐๐ ๐๐ – the sphinx ๐๐ ฑ๐ญ, and therefore the pharaoh ๐๐ป, was using his strength ๐ and might to protect these sacred places!ย
Here is a link to Part II!
