Head and Shoulders of a Sphinx of Hatshepsut

New Kingdom

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 115

This fragmentary sphinx represents the female pharaoh Hatshepsut. Portions of six granite sphinxes were discovered during the Museum's excavations in the area of Hatshepsut's mortuary temple at Deir el-Bahri in Western Thebes. A nearly complete example (31.3.166) is on display in gallery 131. This sphinx still retains substantial blue paint on the royal beard, traces of yellow paint on the pleats of the nemes-headcloth, and small amounts of paint around the eyes.

A smaller sphinx in a different style is also owned by the Museum (31.3.94).

Head and Shoulders of a Sphinx of Hatshepsut, Granite, paint

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Head and Shoulders of a Sphinx of Hatshepsut, Granite, paint
Head and Shoulders of a Sphinx of Hatshepsut, Granite, paint
Head and Shoulders of a Sphinx of Hatshepsut, Granite, paint

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