Head of Pharaoh Tutankhamun
- WORDSWORTH WORDSMITHY
- Apr 2, 2024
- 2 min read
At the MET, many walk past this fragment of a statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 not knowing who it represents! I have always loved this particular piece because it is the head of Pharaoh Tutankhamun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 who is arguably the most famous pharaoh in the world today! As a kid, seeing King Tut in the MET was just SO COOL because all of the artifacts from his tomb are located in Egypt. I still think it’s cool – even though I’m an adult, I still can’t shake the child-like fascination I have with Tutankhamun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓.
This limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 was made during Tutankhamun’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 reign (18th Dynasty), and it shows that Tutankhamun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 brought back the old religion and traditional styles of Egyptian art and sculpture.
Tutankhamun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 is wearing the khepresh crown 𓆣𓂋𓈙𓋙, also known as the “blue crown” in this statue. The khepresh 𓆣𓂋𓈙𓋙 crown was very popular amongst the New Kingdom pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏥 and it was associated with coronation, the right to rule, and victory. Fun Fact: no example of the Blue Crown (Khepresh) 𓆣𓂋𓈙𓋙 has been found by archaeologists!
While it can’t be seen in this picture, there is a hand 𓂧𓏏𓏺 that can be seen on the back of Tutankhamun’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 head. This is the hand 𓂧𓏏𓏺 of the god 𓊹 Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭. Since Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 (king of the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹) is touching Tutankhamun’s crown, it can be interpreted that Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓀭 approved of Tutankhamun’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏏𓅱𓏏𓋹𓋾𓉺𓇓 reign.
This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost.
