Tag: sekhmet

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Egyptian Artifacts

The Memphis Triad

While Harry, Ron, and Hermione are most definitely my favorite trio of all time, the Memphis Triad comes pretty close!! In ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, groups of three 𓏼 gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 are referred to as “triads” by Egyptologists! Triads were groups of gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 that usually had some type of familial significance to each other. Father 𓇋𓏏𓀀-Mother 𓄿𓏏𓁐-Child 𓐍𓇌𓀕 triads and family 𓅕𓉔𓅱𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏦 units were extremely important to Egyptian culture!

The Memphis Triad
Ptah (left), Sekhmet (middle) and Imhotep (right) make up the Memphis Triad

The triads were usually made into a single statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾, however, at the MET they have displayed these three 𓏼 statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 together to form a triad which I think is so cool! This triad is known as the Memphis Triad, which consisted of Ptah 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓀭 (left), Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐 (middle) and Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 (right). 

The Memphis Triad could also be Ptah 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱, Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐, and Nefertem 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓍃𓀯. Nefertem 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓍃𓀯 was the son 𓅭 of Ptah 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱 and Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐 in mythology. However, during the Ptolemaic times (which is when these bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦 statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 are dated to), Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 was widely worshipped 𓇼𓄿𓀢 as a god 𓊹, and he kind of replaced Nefertem 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓍃𓀯 in the triad! Since Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 was regarded by the Greeks as the Son 𓅭 of Ptah 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱, this unofficially made Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐 his mother 𓅐𓏏𓁐! 

Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪, meaning “He who comes in peace,” was a non-royal man who became deified.  Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 was not deified in his lifetime – it was 2,000 𓆼𓆼 years after his death that he began to be worshipped 𓇼𓄿𓀢 as a god 𓊹 by the Greeks. 

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost without permission.

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Egyptian Artifacts

Amenhotep III and Sekhmet

I have spoken a lot about Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐, because she is my Nonno’s favorite goddess 𓊹𓏏/religious figure in the Egyptian pantheon! Today we are going to look more into the Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐 statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 that can be found in museums all around the world 𓇾𓇾! These particular Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐 statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 I am with are at the British Museum, but there are a lot at The MET, Louvre, and Vatican Museums too! 

Amenhotep III and Sekhmet
Me with statues of Sekhmet, which were commissioned during the reign of pharaoh Amenhotep III at the British Museum.

During his reign 𓋾𓈎𓏏, the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Amenhotep III 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓊵𓋾𓋆 had over 730 𓏲𓏲𓏲𓏲𓏲𓏲𓏲𓎆𓎆𓎆 statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 of Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐 made! That is almost two statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 for every 𓎟 day 𓉔𓂋𓏺𓇳 of the year! Most of the Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐 statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 you see that look like the ones in my picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 above are from this time period!

So why Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐? This is where stuff gets really interesting – Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐 was often referred to as the “Eye of Ra,” because she was created from the sun 𓇳𓏺 god 𓊹 Ra’s 𓇳𓏺𓁛 eye 𓁹𓏏𓏤 when he looked upon the Earth 𓇾𓇾. The obsession with solar deities 𓊹𓊹𓊹 didn’t just happen when Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 came to the throne – Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 was most likely influenced by his father 𓇋𓏏𓀀, Amenhotep III 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓊵𓋾𓋆! The worship 𓇼𓄿𓀢 of the god 𓊹 Ra 𓇳𓏺𓁛 (and gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 like Sobek-Ra) hit its peak during the reign of Amenhotep III 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓊵𓋾𓋆. 

All of the statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 of Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐 are made of black 𓆎𓅓 granodiorite 𓏠𓈖𓏏𓏏𓊌, which is not just a coincidence! In ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, the color black 𓆎𓅓 was associated with rebirth 𓄟𓍿𓅱. These statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 were most likely connected to the jubilees 𓎛𓃀𓋴𓂧𓏏𓎱𓇳𓏪 (The Heb Sed festival), and contain various epithets on them, such as: 

“The son of Ra Amenhotep, ruler of Thebes beloved of Sekhmet, the great, mistress of the sky, for eternity.”

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Egyptian Artifacts

Sekhmet and Ptah – the Unlikely Pair!

This piece at the MET is from the Late Period – Ptolemaic Period (c. 664–30 B.C.E.) is tiny 𓈖𓆓𓋴𓅩 so of course I love it!!

This small 𓈖𓆓𓋴𓅩 piece of metal depicts the deities 𓊹𓊹𓊹 Ptah 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱 and Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐. Ptah 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱 and Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐 are super interesting mythological figures in ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 because they were some of the oldest deities 𓊹𓊹𓊹 that were worshipped for thousands 𓆼𓆼𓆼 of years! 

Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐 was known as the goddess 𓊹𓏏 of war, the destructive aspects of the sun 𓇳𓏺 (such as the desert 𓅟𓂋𓏏𓈊 heat), could bring on plagues, and was associated with kingship. In the Book of the Dead, Ptah 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱 is referred to as “The Master Architect,” and “Framer of Everything in the Universe” due to his role in “speaking” the world 𓇾𓇾 into creation! 

If Sekhmet’s 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐 power was uncontrolled, she could pose major problems for Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖. For example, when Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐 was sent by her father Ra 𓇳𓏺𓁛 to punish the human race for rebelling against him, she lost control and had to be stopped by Ra 𓇳𓏺𓁛 before she eradicated all of humanity! Ra 𓇳𓏺𓁛 tricked her into thinking that pomegranate juice was blood and Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐 drank so much she fell asleep! In one version of the myth, when she wakes up, the first thing she sees is Ptah 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱 and instantly falls in love with him! 

The love affair between Ptah 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱 and Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐 us very interesting in a mythological sense because Ptah 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱 represents creation while Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐 can represent total destruction! Their son 𓅭, Nefertem 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓍃𓀯, is the god 𓊹 of healing. The union of creation and destruction created healing and thus re-established “Ma’at” (truth 𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓆄/justice 𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓆄𓏜) in the world 𓇾𓇾! 

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Egyptian Artifacts

Bastet vs. Sekhmet

This image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 shows bronze statues 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 of the beloved 𓌻𓂋𓇌 Egyptian goddess 𓊹𓏏 Bastet 𓎯𓏏𓏏𓁐. Here are some fun facts about Bastet 𓎯𓏏𓏏𓁐!!

The goddesses 𓊹𓊹𓊹𓏏 Bastet 𓎯𓏏𓏏𓁐 and Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐 were both depicted as cats 𓅓𓇋𓅱𓃠𓏪, however, Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐 usually had the body of a woman while Bastet 𓎯𓏏𓏏𓁐 usually had the body of a cat 𓅓𓇋𓅱𓃠.

However, when Bastet 𓎯𓏏𓏏𓁐 was depicted with the body of a woman, she was usually holding a sistrum 𓊃𓈙𓈙𓏏𓏣 in one hand! Since Hathor 𓉡 was usually seen with sistrums 𓊃𓈙𓈙𓏏𓏣𓏪, this shows a link between the two 𓏻 goddesses!

Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐 and Bastet 𓎯𓏏𓏏𓁐 were believed to be the two unpredictable personalities of the same goddess 𓊹𓏏. While Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐 represented the destructive and unpredictable side, Bastet 𓎯𓏏𓏏𓁐 was the gentler and calmer side.

Bastet 𓎯𓏏𓏏𓁐 was the goddess 𓊹𓏏 of pregnancy and childbirth and was considered to be the protective form of the goddess 𓊹𓏏.

Bastet’s 𓎯𓏏𓏏𓁐 father was Ra 𓇳𓏺𓁛! Which is why her alter ego Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐 can be associated with the sun.

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Egyptian Artifacts

Museum Display at the Louvre

I love the randomness of some museum displays – there’s always so much to look at! By “randomness,” I’m referring to the varying objects that can be grouped together, however they are from the same time period so the conglomeration of different objects can give you a sense of the varying objects common during that period! It also gives you a look into the art styles that were popular!

Starting from the left, you can see a figure of the god Bes 𓃀𓋴𓄜. Bes 𓃀𓋴𓄜 didn’t become commonly worshipped until the beginning of the New Kingdom. He was the god of childbirth, protector of the household 𓉐𓏺, and defender of all that is good! He was considered to be a “demonic fighter,” and was also a war god.

There are two 𓏻 ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 figures with beautiful hieroglyphic 𓊹𓌃𓏪 inscriptions. These little guys were buried with the deceased and were meant to be their servants in the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. Most ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾𓏪 are inscribed with a spell that tells you what their function was. When Osiris 𓁹𓊨 𓀭 called upon the deceased for labor, the deceased would say the spell on the ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 and it would come to life and perform the labor in place of the deceased!

Next are the sistrums 𓊃𓈙𓈙𓏏𓏣𓏪! A sistrum 𓊃𓈙𓈙𓏏𓏣 was almost like an ancient tambourine or rattle – while the part that makes the music is often not found intact, the handle with Hathor’s 𓉡 face usually is. Sistrums 𓊃𓈙𓈙𓏏𓏣𓏪 can be found dating back to the Old Kingdom, but most that are found are usually from the Late – Graeco/Roman periods.

And lastly, a statue of the goddess Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐! Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐 was one of my Nonno’s favorite mythological figures. Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐 was a war goddess and was associated with the destructive aspects of the sun 𓇳𓏺 (like the unrelenting heat of the desert).

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Egyptian Artifacts

Statue of Sekhmet at the Brooklyn Museum

Every time I go to a museum, I need to get a picture with Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐!

Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐 was one of my Nonno’s absolute favorite Egyptian goddesses 𓊹𓏏𓏪. Whenever I see Sekhmet, 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐 she makes me think of my Nonno. He probably really liked her due to her strength and power!

In Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, most of the feline 𓅓𓇋𓅱𓃠 deities were female! This was most likely intentional – much like a lioness 𓌳𓁹𓄿𓏏𓄛 can be gentle and nurturing with her cubs, she can also be extremely fierce and aggressive when she needs to protect 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 them. This duality is quintessential to not only Sekhmet’s 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐 role in the Egyptian pantheon, but to the other feline 𓅓𓇋𓅱𓃠 goddesses 𓊹𓏏𓏪 as well!

Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐 is always seen with a sun-disk on her head, which shows that she is the daughter of Ra 𓇳𓏺𓁛. She was known as the goddess 𓊹𓏏 of destruction/war, and her name means “she who is powerful.” She could also represent the destructive aspects of the sun 𓇳𓏺. There were many religious rituals designed to appease her. Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐 was feared for being a very powerful and very destructive goddess 𓊹𓏏.

This particular statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 of Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐 was made during the rule of Amenhotep III 𓇳𓁧𓎠 during the 18th Dynasty.

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Egyptian Artifacts

Statues of Sekhmet

As I’ve stated many times before (it’s a family trait – we always repeat the same stories 😂), my Nonno loved Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐. Now every time I see a statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 of her, I think of my Nonno.

In Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, most of the feline 𓅓𓇋𓅱𓃠 deities were female! This was most likely intentional – much like a lioness 𓌳𓁹𓄿𓏏𓄛 can be gentle and nurturing with her cubs, she can also be extremely fierce and aggressive when she needs to protect 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 them. This duality is quintessential to not only Sekhmet’s 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐 role in the Egyptian pantheon, but to the other feline 𓅓𓇋𓅱𓃠 goddesses 𓊹𓏏𓏪 as well!

Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐 is always seen with a sun-disk 𓇳𓏺 on her head 𓁶𓏺, which shows that she is the daughter 𓅭𓏏 of Ra 𓇳𓏺𓁛. She was known as the goddess 𓊹𓏏 of destruction/war, and her name 𓂋𓈖 means “she who is powerful.” She could also represent the destructive aspects of the sun 𓇳𓏺, such as extreme heat. There were many religious rituals designed to appease her. Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐 was feared for being a very powerful and very destructive goddess 𓊹𓏏.

These particular statues 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 of Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐 was made during the rule of Amenhotep III 𓇳𓁧𓎠 during the 18th Dynasty.

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Egyptian Artifacts

Bronze Statues of Sekhmet and Imhotep

This setup at the MET reminded me so much of my Nonno because Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐 and Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 were two of his favorite ancient Egyptian figures! Even better, is they these are both bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦 statues 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪; he loved all of the bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦 statues 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 so much! Seeing the two 𓏻 statues 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 next to each other made me miss my Nonno so much.

Sekhmet (left) and Imhotep (right)

Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪, meaning “He who comes in peace,” was a non-royal man who became deified. This is a very rare occurrence, as it was thought by the Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 that the Pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 was the only god 𓊹 on the Earth 𓇾𓇾. Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 was not deified in his lifetime – it was 2,000 years after his death 𓅓𓏏𓏱 that he began to be worshipped 𓇼𓄿𓀢 as a god 𓊹. Not much is known about Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 from his lifetime – much information about Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 is from Demotic texts or stelae 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸𓏪 that were written thousands 𓆼𓆼𓆼 of years after his death 𓅓𓏏𓏱.

Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 was regarded as the Son 𓅭 of Ptah 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱, who was the creator god 𓊹 of craftsmen and architects. He was also part of the “Memphis Triad,” which consisted of Ptah 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓀭, Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐 and Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪.

Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓏏𓁐 was the goddess 𓊹𓏏 of war, but she is usually pictured with the sun disc 𓇳𓏤 on her head 𓁶𓏤 because she was also associated with the destructive aspects of the sun 𓇳𓏤 – such as the extreme heat of the desert 𓅟𓂋𓏏𓈊! Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓏏𓁐 was one powerful lady, and the Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 had many festivals dedicated to her in order to keep her happy!