Sphinx of Taharqo
Sphinx of Taharqo
From Temple T at Kawa, Sudan, Kushite, about
680 BC
Sphinxes represent the immense power of the
Egyptian king. The human head of this sphinx is adorned with two
uraei, the symbols of kingship. The mane around the neck is
characteristically carved with care.
The face is that of Taharqo, whose name appears on the cartouche
on the chest. Taharqo was one of the rulers of Kush who dominated
Egypt as the Twenty-fifth Dynasty (about 747-656 BC).
Although the basic form of this sphinx is Egyptian, several
features set it apart. Most striking are the facial features of the
king which leave no doubt that he is an African. The Kushite kings
were proud of their ancestry and chose to be buried in Kush near
their religious centre at Jebel Barkal.
This statue was found in Temple T at Kawa, in Upper Nubia
(Sudan). Kawa was the home of a local form of the great Egyptian
state god Amun. The kings of the Kush built temples there,
with the intention of ensuring Amun's prominence. Temple T was
constructed by Taharqo between 684 and 680 BC.
Related culture
