A lion headed goddess, possibly Wadjet
Unknown Artist
664–30 B.C.
Medium
Cupreous metal
Dimensions
H. 18.7 cm (7 3/8 in.); W. 4.6 cm (1 13/16 in.); D. 3.9 cm (1 9/16 in.)
Classification
Statuette, lion-headed goddess, possibly Wadjet
Period
Late Period–Ptolemaic Period
Department
Egyptian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Joseph W. Drexel, 1889
Accession Number
89.2.574
Tags
Art Historical Context
This striking bronze figurine, titled *A Lion-Headed Goddess, Possiblyjet*, captures the fierce majesty of ancient Egyptian divinity. Standing just 18.7 cm tall, the goddess is depicted with a powerful leonine head, evoking protectors like Sekhmet—the warrior goddess of war and healing—or Wadjet, the guardian of Lower Egypt. Crafted from cupreous metal (a copper-based alloy), its small scale suggests it served as a votive offering, amulet, or personal devotional object, common in households or temples during Egypt's Late Period to Ptolemaic era (664–30 B.C.). Dating to a time of political uph...