Statuette of Amun
M11594
Information
A man, a goose, a ram. Amun, one of the most important gods, could appear in many forms. His name meant “The Hidden One” and no one really knew what he looked like. This is a rare statue of a man with a grotesque head and the mane of a lion. The face looks like a god called Bes, but the inscription says it’s Amun. Perhaps Amun is wearing a mask to hide his face? Solid cast copper alloy statuette of Amun as warrior with facial features of Bes. He wears a crown of reeds tied together at the top and a pleated kilt. He is represented walking and in his right hand he holds a mace up to his conical cap. He has a grotesque head, with the mane and ears of a lion, the facial features of Bes, and possibly may represent a mask on Amun’s hidden face.
There is a dedication inscription on all four sides of the rectangular pedestal, dedicated by Nesptah [ns-ptH] son of Wenem(di)amun [wn-m(di.i)imn] and Pesherinetjer [pA.s-Hri-nTr], and the deity is identified as a form of Amun-Ra. This is an exceptional piece that can be compared with a few other known figures. Described by Professor Percy Newberry as being of a "fine technique” and dating to the Saite Period. Described by Joseph Mayer as, "a statue in bronze, of the Egyptian Hercules, in walking position, with his club".
For a discussion on this type of figure see, G. A. Wainwright, 'Some Aspects of Amun', JEA 20 (1934), p. 139-1533, fig. 9; Compare with Daressy, 'Statues de divinites' (Cairo, 1906), p. 208, pl. XLIII [Cairo 38836]; Compare with F. G. H. Price, 'Notes upon a rare figure of Amen-Re', proceedings of the Society of Biblical Archaeology XXIII (1901), 35-6. Also see Top. Bib. STATUES OF DEITIES http://www.griffith.ox.ac.uk/gri/3pm8sta5.pdf