Image Gallery
Statue of a Sitting Figure of Goddess Sekhmet
Sekhmet was a lion goddess, whose name means "the mighty one", and she personified the aggressive aspects of other goddesses. Sekhmet was a daughter of the sun god Ra. She usually wears the sun-disc on her head. A famous myth recounts how she almost obliterated humankind for conspiring against her father's rule. She was associated with destruction and plague, but her powers could also be invoked for healing. Like other goddesses, she usually holds a looped cross and papyrus stalk; emblems of life (ankh) and flourishing (wadj). Based on its size, style, and exquisite craftsmanship, there can be no doubt that this statue was made during the reign of Amenhotep III. The only inscriptions it bears today, on the front sides of the throne, display cartouches with the throne and birth names of Sheshonq I, who founded the 22nd Dynasty, around 954 BCE. He lived at a time of less prosperity when the usurpation of earlier statues by both royal and private individuals became common practice. From the temple of Mut at Thebes, Karnak, Egypt, 18th Dynasty, reign of Amenhotep III, 1390-1352 BCE.
The British Museum, London.
Questions & Answers
What was the purpose of the temple in ancient Egypt?
- The temple in ancient Egypt was the literal home of the god it was built for. The high priest cared for and communed with the statue of the god there, and festivals were often begun in the reception area. There were no "worship services" conducted at ancient Egyptian temples as those would be recognized today.
What is the most famous ancient Egyptian temple?
- Karnak is the most famous Egyptian temple.
What were ancient Egyptian temples supposed to represent?
- Ancient Egyptian temples were understood to have been designed by the gods and represented the first moment a deity entered the mortal plane. They also were associated with the beginning of the creation of the world by the god Amun or, sometimes, the goddess Neith.
Could the general public have access to an ancient Egyptian temple?
- The general public was allowed in the courtyard and outer reception area of an ancient Egyptian temple but not in the interior and certainly not anywhere near the Holy of Holies where the deity's statue resided.
