Ancient Art
Two figurines from ancient Egypt illustrate the changes in Egyptian art that occurred between the Second Intermediate Period (1630-1539 BCE) and the Third Intermediate Period (1075-656 BCE). Both pieces, which appear as part of the Smithsonian Institute's Freer Sackler Gallery, are relatively small: the older piece is 16.3 centimeters in height and the younger is only 10.3 centimeters tall. Several features link the two figurines in terms of geographic place of origin, as both depict a female body in a stiff stance, typical of ancient Egyptian art. However, the latter piece, which is an amulet of the leonine goddess Sakhmet, appears far more relaxed than the earlier figurine. The older female figurine, which is not technically classified as an amulet, is almost geometric in its severity: the woman's shoulders are exaggeratedly broad and her long arms form a triangular image with her long and stiff legs. The Sakhmet amulet, on the other hand, shows a more sophisticated three-dimensional rendering of the human form. Her shoulders are naturally relaxed and hang by her side delicately, especially in comparison with the older figurine. Sakhmet's left leg also stands a bit farther forward than her right, which points to typical renderings of the Egyptian gods and pharaohs from the same period. The older figurine is completely stiff. The Sakhmet amulet is composed of faience, whereas the crude female figurine is of terracotta, contributing to their differences in appearance and design sophistication.
In terms of symbolism, both the amulet and the terra cotta figurine clearly show a female body with proportional breasts. The amulet possesses more immediate symbolic significance due to its rendering of a lion's head in place of the human head: the amulet therefore represents one of the anthropomorphic Egyptian goddesses. The terra cotta figure, on the other hand, possesses a crudely sculpted head, which while not true to the human form is also not representative of any recognizable animal.
Works Cited
'Amulet of a Goddess, Perhaps Sakhmet." Freer Sackler Galleries of the Smithsonian Institute. Online at .
"Female Figurine." Freer Sackler Galleries of the Smithsonian Institute. Online at .
