Falcon in double crown

Late Period–Ptolemaic Period
664–30 B.C.
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 138
The falcon god Horus stands with his wings swept back. He wears the double crown of Egypt, a royal crown that symbolizes the union of Lower and Upper Egypt, and highlights Horus’ role as the legitimate ruler of the entire land. The falcon wears the double crown because Horus and the concept of kingship were closely tied, as early as the Predynastic Period. Despite corrosion, this falcon preserves some careful detail including the falcon’s facial markings, as well as the long and short feathers of the body.

The figure probably originally stood on a standard or on a small box that would have held an animal mummy, like falcon 26.7.856. Such falcon mummy boxes, or sarcophagi, would have been offered for deposition in animal necropoleis, not just in relation to the cult of Horus, but also more broadly in association with solar cult.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Falcon in double crown
  • Period: Late Period–Ptolemaic Period
  • Date: 664–30 B.C.
  • Geography: From Egypt
  • Medium: Cupreous metal
  • Dimensions: H. 13.2 cm (5 3/16 in.); W. 3.8 cm (1 1/2 in.); L. 9.1 cm (3 9/16 in.)
  • Credit Line: Gift of Darius Ogden Mills, 1904
  • Object Number: 04.2.456
  • Curatorial Department: Egyptian Art

More Artwork

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.