Head of Statuette of Amenhotep III

Author(s): C. Zarnoch, E. Sullivan

Description: In this head of a statuette of Amenhotep III, the king is shown wearing an elaborately curled wig and the high “double crown,” a combination evoking the appearance of the youthful god Neferhotep. Behind him, and serving as the statue’s back pillar, is the top of an obelisk with a hieroglyphic inscription naming the Amenhotep as “the good god, lord of joy, lord of…”. The head was once glazed with blue faience, now lost. The torso of this statue is located in the Durham University Oriental Museum.

Provenance: Found in the “cachette” in the court of the seventh pylon
Person: Amenhotep III
Date: Dynasty 18, New Kingdom (1390-1352 BCE)
Material: Cream steatite with glaze
Functional Comments: Study of the inscription of this and the Durham piece suggest the statuette was presented as an offering to the mortuary temple of Amenhotep III. Since the head was found in the “cachette” at Karnak, however, it must have been later presented again as an offering to Amun-Ra at Karnak.
Dimensions: H: 12.2cm; W: 5.8cm
Current Location: Cairo Museum

Bibliography:

Porter, B., R. L. B. Moss, et al. (1972). Topographical bibliography of ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic texts, reliefs and paintings 2., Theban temples. Oxford, Clarendon Press. pp. 140.

Kozloff, A. and B. Bryan (1992). Egypt’s Dazzling Sun: Amenhotep III and His World. Cleveland, Cleveland Museum of Art. pp. 200-201.

Van der Plas, D. (2006). “The Global Egyptian Museum, Center for Documentation of Cultural and Natural Heritage.” http://www.globalegyptianmuseum.org

External links