Child god with hemhem crown
The figure represents a child god in a seated/reclining position, wearing the hemhem crown with the nemes. The child god is distinguished from adult gods by a range of iconographic clues: his nudity, the finger raised to the mouth (a child-like gesture), and the thick sidelock attached on the right side of his nemes. Child gods are commonly linked with royalty and this god’s hemhem is an elaborate royal crown with solar associations. Meanwhile, his plump, well-fed belly showcases his ability to bring about prosperity and abundance. A triple-strap suspension loop rests at the back of his neck.
Child gods grew in popularity and cult from the Third Intermediate Period onwards, rivaling even the most powerful and ancient gods, especially as temple offerings. The best known is Horus the Child (Harpokrates), who was the son of Isis and Osiris, but many others existed, including Khonsu the Child, Ihy, and Harsiese, among others. Thus it is difficult to assign a precise identity to this statuette without an associated inscription.
Child gods grew in popularity and cult from the Third Intermediate Period onwards, rivaling even the most powerful and ancient gods, especially as temple offerings. The best known is Horus the Child (Harpokrates), who was the son of Isis and Osiris, but many others existed, including Khonsu the Child, Ihy, and Harsiese, among others. Thus it is difficult to assign a precise identity to this statuette without an associated inscription.
Artwork Details
- Title: Child god with hemhem crown
- Period: Late Period–Ptolemaic Period
- Date: 664–30 B.C.
- Geography: From Egypt
- Medium: Cupreous metal
- Dimensions: H. 9.6 cm (3 3/4 in.); W. 3.9 cm (1 9/16 in.); D. 4.5 cm (1 3/4 in.)
- Credit Line: Gift of Darius Ogden Mills, 1904
- Object Number: 04.2.410
- Curatorial Department: Egyptian Art
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550–300 B.C.
ca. 945–712 BCE
332–30 BCE
390–246 BCE
610–595 B.C.
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