Statue of Deified Amenhotep I
Twentieth Century; original New Kingdom
Not on view
Each year several commemorative festivals were held in the artisans’ village of Deir el-Medina in celebration of its founder, the deified king Amenhotep I. Here, the horizontal beams indicate that his elaborate statue sits on top of a palanquin, which was used during processions. The palanquin features the protective figures of a goddess with outstretched wings, a striding sphinx wearing the double crown of Upper and Lower Egypt, a so called ba-bird, and a striding lion. Even though the context of this scene does not necessarily derive from an actual festival, it illustrates the type of statues carried during such events.
The tall bouquet of flowers at right was presented as an offering. Such bouquets can often be seen in depictions of celebrations or offering scenes. In addition to the flowers’ decorative qualities and pleasing scent, they had symbolic value, since their name, ankh, is also the word for life.
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