Some Egyptian deities had animals associated with them and some were depicted as having animal characteristics. The Falcon of Horus wearing the double crown of Upper and Lower Egypt is an image of divine kingship. The king was associated with the sky god as the "Living Horus," and he was thought to represent the rule of the gods on earth. Statues such as this were sometimes used as containers for the preserved remains of the animal or bird they represented. This example is hollow and has an opening under the tail through which a mummified falcon could have been inserted.
Credit: Founders Society Purchase, Sarah Bacon Hill Fund
663 and 525 BCE
Bronze
16.2 x 13.5 x 6.8 in
59.119
Image and text courtesy of Detroit Institute of Arts Gallery, 2022
Where you'll find this
Detroit Institute of Arts
Permanent collection