Bust of the Goddess Sakhmet
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Object Label
Sakhmet, whose name means “The Powerful One,” wears a sun-disk and cobra on her brow, identifying her as the daughter of the sun-god Re. In her role as the Eye of Re, Sakhmet was dispatched abroad to destroy Egypt’s enemies. Angered because Re set another goddess in her place while she was away, the Eye refused to return and protect Egypt, until pacified by wine, music, and dance. The Egyptians explained the sun’s annual motion toward the south and then back to Egypt as the Eye’s departure and return. In other myths, Re’s Eye symbolized natural phenomena, such as the Nile’s annual flood and the Egyptian new year.
Caption
Bust of the Goddess Sakhmet, ca. 1390–1352 B.C.E.. Granodiorite, 39 x 19 7/8 x 15 9/16 in., 443 lb. (99 x 50.5 x 39.5 cm, 200.94kg). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Dr. and Mrs. W. Benson Harer, Jr. in honor of Richard Fazzini and the excavations of the Temple of Mut in South Karnak, Mary Smith Dorward Fund and Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 1991.311. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 1991.311_front_SL1.jpg)
Title
Bust of the Goddess Sakhmet
Date
ca. 1390–1352 B.C.E.
Dynasty
Dynasty 18
Period
New Kingdom
Geography
Possible place collected: Thebes (Karnak), Egypt
Medium
Granodiorite
Classification
Dimensions
39 x 19 7/8 x 15 9/16 in., 443 lb. (99 x 50.5 x 39.5 cm, 200.94kg)
Credit Line
Gift of Dr. and Mrs. W. Benson Harer, Jr. in honor of Richard Fazzini and the excavations of the Temple of Mut in South Karnak, Mary Smith Dorward Fund and Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund
Accession Number
1991.311
Rights
Creative Commons-BY
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Frequent Art Questions
Is the Sekhmet statue here from the same collection as The Met's statues?
Yes! The King Amunhotep III commissioned between 600 and 730 of these statues for his mortuary temple!Sakhmet was primarily a protector of Egypt, but she was also associated with medicine and healing. It is known that an epidemic of plague swept through the Near East during Amunhotep III's reign so scholars think the numerous Sakhmets were meant as either a continued protection against disease or as a "thank you" for having already protected him.I see Thank you very much!Does the goddess have the head of a lion?
She does! Lionesses were venerated in ancient Egypt for their motherly instincts including both gentle nurturing and fearsome protection. It closely aligned with their understanding of Sakhmet, a goddess responsible for protecting Egypt.Both lions and cats were renowned for their hunting skills including patience, speed, silence, precision, and ability to see in the dark. The ancient Egyptians ascribed the ferocious aspects to lions, but together they represented a duality and balance important to Egyptian belief.Thank you!! :)Isn't Sakhmet associated with violence a bit?
Right! In her role as a protector, she is believed to fiercely defend Egypt from all enemies and typically does so through violence.Her violence was actually believed to be so relentless as to threaten all life on earth. She had to be placated with offerings like beer dyed red to resemble blood.I see Thank you very much!
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