Granodiorite seated statue of Amenhotep III

From his mortuary temple, Thebes, Egypt
18th Dynasty, about 1350 BC

Amun's name defaced

Amenhotep III (1390-1352 BC) commissioned hundreds of sculptures for his mortuary temple on the west bank of the Nile at Thebes, though the precise original location of most of them is not known. Statues representing the seated ruler were probably intended to function as the recipients of offerings and prayers.

On the sides of the throne of this sculpture are the intertwined symbols of the plants of Upper and Lower Egypt, representing the union of the two lands of Egypt, and illustrating the fact that it is the king who keeps them together.

There is also an inscription on the back pillar, which was defaced during the campaign against the names and representations of Amun. This took place during the religious changes brought about by King Akhenaten, successor to Amenhotep III. These erasures were subsequently restored on the return to orthodox beliefs. Parts of several large statues from Amenhotep III's mortuary temple are now in The British Museum.

T.G.H. James and W.V. Davies, Egyptian sculpture (London, The British Museum Press, 1983)

A.P. Kozloff and B.M. Bryan, Egypts dazzling sun: Amenhotep (Cleveland Museum of Art, 1992)