Statue Of The Nile God Hapy

The statue depicts a corpulent figure, male but but with somewhat pendulous breasts

, presenting an offering table from which hang dead gees and masses of lotus and papyrus flowers. This resembles a three-dimensional version of the series of figure known as Nile gods or fecundity figure , frequently found at the lowest level of decoration of temple walls, which represent personification of Egypts fertile and bountiful soil.

A text on the statues right side identifies the figure as the Nile god Hapy , with whom such figures are frequently associated. It is not a particularly common type, and the earliest examples seem to be from the Middle kingdom. They not be confused with statues of kings presenting offerings, which look similar but are very different in function (compare the statue of Tutankhamun, EA75, pages 184-5 ).

The inscriptions indicate that the statue was carved on behalf of Sheshonq, high priest of Amun and chief of the army, for Amun-Re. Sheshonq is shown in a worshipping pose on the left side of the statue, and is described as the son of Osorkon I and Maatkare, daughter of Psusennes II (959-945BC ) the last king of the Twenty-second Dynasty. This individual, whose name is written within a cartouches but without the full titles of king-ship is usually referred to as Sheshonq II; the cartouches may be regarded as prospective in meaning, a reflection of his aspirations to succeed his father on the throne. Without doubt he was appointed as high priest in Thebes, the most powerful position there, to ensure his familys control over Upper Egypt. He seems to have died before his father, although it is likely that Osorkon I made him his co-regent toward the end of his reign in order to a smooth the transfer of bower, though this was thwarted by Sheshonqs early death .

Little comparable sculpture exists from the Twenty-second Dynasty, and while this statue could be assigned to this period, it may have been made earlier. Sheshonq removed some Sekhmet statues from Amenhotep IIIs mortuary temple, took them to Karnak, and added his name to them; since Amenhoteps temple was party designed to resemble the mound of creation, a statue of a Nile god would not have been out of place there.

The arrangement of the mass of offerings is like that of royal offering statues such as EA75, and although the color of the stone is not common in Amenhotep IIIs statuary, there are prominent veins of different colors running through it that are reminiscent of the patterning of the brown quartzite so favored in other monuments of that date . Thus, the statue might have been reused some 450 years after it was made.

Third Intermediate Period, perhaps Twenty- second Dynast 900BC

Purchased as part of first salt collection in 1823

Grayish quartzite or sandstone , height 220cm , EA8

by: hassan.sh

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