egypt

Statue of the goddess Sekhmet

Key Dates

 This item dates from the 18th Dynasty, circa 1391-1353 BC.

Key People

 An inscription at the bottom of this statue reads, “Amenophis III, beloved of the goddess.”

This statue of the Sekhmet is one of many diorite sculptures dedicated to the powerful goddess.  Sekhmet is portrayed with a dual personality; she has the body of a woman and a lion’s head.  This statue is particularly interesting, however, by virtue of the artist’s great skill in blending the lion’s features with those of a woman; the lions mane morphs into human hair, and Sekhmet wears a dress down to her ankles.  Most notably, she sits beneath the solar disk and uraeus-cobra and wields an ankh in her left hand.

Origin & Collection
On display at:

The Louvre

Additional information on display location:
Egyptian Antiquities
Reference Number:
A 2
Physical properties
Width:

61.00cm

Height:

2290.00cm

Depth:

100.00cm