Medium: Wood, gold leaf, plaster, linen, bronze, animal remains
Geograhical Locations:
Dates:770–412 B.C.E.
Dimensions: 16 3/4 x 5 1/8 x 6 1/2 in. (42.5 x 13 x 16.5 cm)
Collections:
Exhibitions:
Accession Number: 37.1379E
Image: 37.1379E_threequarter_PS6.jpg,
Catalogue Description: Statuette of Sekhmet (or Bast?) containing the mummy of a cat (?) wood. The goddess is seated on a lotus flower or papyrus. Her knees are drawn up and both feet rest on the ground. Her arms are held close to her body, are bent at the elbow, and the hands are placed beside the knees. The right clenches the left with fingers extended and palm down. She has the head of a lioness, wears a wig-cover, a uraeus on her forehead and had some sort of head dress. A garment envelops her body but it is impossible to distinguish its cut. The greater part, if not all, of the figure, was covered with gold leaf. Certainly the hands, her arms, breast, and back of wig-cover, were so covered and we must suppose that the figure simulated one of solid gold if any color was introduced it was about the lioness head, eyes or headdress. The head is now much discolored. The plant on which the goddess sits is now a dark brown to black, without details to determine whether a papyrus or lotus flower was intended. The small amount of stem which was represented was undoubtedly inserted in some kind of a wooden pedestal so that the figure might be placed in an upright position.