Amulet of a Lion-Headed Goddess with Kitten
Third Intermediate Period, Dynasty 21–25 (about 1069–664 BCE)
Medium
Faience
Dimensions
7.7 × 1.8 × 2.7 cm (3 1/16 × 3/4 × 1 1/8 in.)
Classification
amulet
Department
Arts of Africa
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
135839
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Ancient Egyptians, both living and dead, wore amulets of gods and goddesses to bring protection and health. These small charms depicted deities in their human, animal, or mixed forms. Here, a powerful striding figure draws the eye, but who is the small cat at her feet? This amulet likely represents the lioness goddess Sekhmet or the cat goddess, Bastet. In Egyptian mythology, Sekhmet and Bastet both act as the Eye of Re, the daughter/protector of the sun god, Re. Sekhmet was known for her feroci...
About the Artist
Ancient Egyptian
Ancient Egyptian artists, a collective of highly skilled artisans spanning over three millennia from the Predynastic period (c. 6000–3150 BC) to the Roman era (30 BC–4th century AD), produced some of humanity's most enduring masterpieces. These anonymous craftsmen, often organized in state-sponsored workshops, lived in dedicated communities like Deir el-Medina near Luxor during the New Kingdom (c....