ticketsMember | Make a donation

Head of a goddess, probably Mut, for attachment to a processional barque

Third Intermediate Period, Kushite Period
ca. 733–664 BCE
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 899
Images of gods were carried out of temples on festival days on processional bark-shrines. Most often the image itself was concealed in a shrine, but sculpted heads at the prow and stern identified the god to the populace, royal statuary surrounded and protected the god hidden in the shrine, and other protective gods rode at the prow. This large female head was gilded and inlaid and originally wore the double crown of Amun's consort, Mut, as well as the double uraeus that was a hallmark of queenlike goddesses. Judging from the arrangement of the long front locks of her wig, this sculpture would have appeared at the prow of Mut's barque-shrine; if it had been intended for the stern, the hair would have projected forward, allowing it to fit along the horizontal surface of the barque in front of the goddess' head.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Head of a goddess, probably Mut, for attachment to a processional barque
  • Period: Third Intermediate Period, Kushite Period
  • Dynasty: Dynasty 25
  • Date: ca. 733–664 BCE
  • Geography: From Egypt
  • Medium: Cupreous metal, gold leaf, formerly inlaid
  • Dimensions: H. 17.5 cm (6 7/8 in); H. of face (forehead to chin) 5.2 cm (2 in); H. of modius 3.5 cm (1 3/8 in); depth 14 cm total (5 1/2 in) including 2.5 cm (1 in) of perpendicular attachment element extending beyond headdress
  • Credit Line: Purchase, Liana Weindling Gift, in memory of her mother, 2008
  • Object Number: 2008.353
  • Curatorial Department: Egyptian Art

More Artwork

More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Kushite official, subsequently modified, Leaded bronze, gold leaf
Kushite official, subsequently modified
ca. 712–664 B.C.
Statuette of Amun, Gold
Statuette of Amun
ca. 945–712 BCE
Bes-image of the god Hor-Asha-Khet, Bronze; gold, electrum, auriferous-silver, copper and copper-alloy inlays
Bes-image of the god Hor-Asha-Khet
4th–2nd century B.C.
Miniature broad collar, Gold, carnelian, turquoise, lapis lazuli
Miniature broad collar
332–246 B.C.
Head of Ptolemy II or III, Black bronze
Head of Ptolemy II or III
246–222 B.C.

Related Content

Timeline of Art History

Entries from The Met's art encyclopedia.

Publications

Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.