 Ivory Hunting Dog The muscles of the dog's front legs are tensed and those of the hind legs are stretched out in preparation for a leap toward the dog's prey. The dog can actually be animated by working the lever under its belly that causes its jaws to open and close. It seems unlikely that such a finely carved piece in ivory, a luxury material, would have been a child's toy. In art, the king was often shown hunting lions with his dog. This image not only symbolizes the king's bravery but also his role as the foe of chaos represented by the lion. Perhaps this hunting dog was placed in a royal tomb to magically assist its owner in the afterlife. |
Hippopotamus A rounded and enormous belly, and heavy folds of flesh beneath the jaws capture the heavy tread of a hippopotamus. Hippopotami were greatly feared by the Egyptians, who often saw them as symbols of chaos. Yet on another level, because hippos lived in the Nile waters that revived the land each year during inundation, Egyptians also saw them as symbols of rebirth and rejuvenation in the afterlife. |
 Cat The sleek muscles and long graceful legs, combined with the cat's erect pose and alert expression, convey a sense of controlled power. Clearly, however, this is not an ordinary cat. It wears a necklace and its pierced ears once held gold rings. This is the goddess Bastet in the form of her sacred animal, the cat. |
 Menna and family fishing and fowling Being very familiar with the wildlife of the Nile marshes, Egyptian artists accurately portrayed the birds (with a nest resting at the top of the papyrus thicket), fish, crocodile, mouse, wildcat, and butterflies. |
