Ka Statue of King Hor
King Hor (also known as Hor Awibre or Hor I)’s reign was relatively brief at an estimated two years, and falls within the late Middle Kingdom or Second Intermediate Period, a time marked by political fragmentation and a decline in central authority following the strong rule of the 12th Dynasty. Despite his short reign, the survival of his beautifully crafted Ka statue and tomb at Dahshur suggests that he held significant status and was accorded traditional royal funerary honours.
This remarkable wooden Ka statue of the king, with inlaid rock-crystal quartz eyes, was discovered in 1894 during excavations led by the French Egyptologist Jacques de Morgan. The statue was unearthed within the king’s tomb, situated to the north of the pyramid complex of Amenemhat III at Dahshur.
Carved from wood and originally covered with a thin layer of painted stucco—now lost—the statue stands as an exceptionally well-preserved example of Middle Kingdom craftsmanship. The statue proper measures 135 cm in height, while the total height, including its base and the Ka symbol atop the head, reaches 170 cm.
The figure is rendered in the traditional rigid frontal pose characteristic of Ancient Egyptian statuary, a style intended to convey permanence, divine stability, and authority. The king is portrayed wearing a long tripartite wig that leaves the ears exposed and bears the divine curved beard, both traditional indicators of royal and sacred status. Around his neck is a broad collar, symbolising prestige and wealth. Though now nude, traces on the wood suggest the presence of a belt, and it is likely that the statue was once dressed with a kilt. The king originally held a staff and sceptre, symbols of rulership, now lost to time.
Most significantly, the statue is crowned with the Ka hieroglyph—a pair of upraised arms—signifying its purpose as a Ka statue. This emblem, which now sits upon the statue’s head, was discovered nearby within the tomb and reaffixed.
“A living Egyptian’s body is called Khet or Iru, meaning “appearance.” The body is known as Khat. When the Khat is mummified, it becomes a Sah. Mummification changes the dead person into a new body filled with magic. Each individual has three souls, called the Ka, the Ba, and the Akh. The Ka is a person’s “life force,” which is given to a new being by Heqet after Khnum has created them on his potter’s wheel. The Ka survives a person’s death, so it requires food and drink, which is why Egyptians make food offerings to the dead. The Ba is an individual’s personality, what makes them unique. The Ba must leave the tomb to rejoin the person’s Ka in order to become an Akh. The Akh is the dead person’s spirit, a ghost that can reach beyond the tomb to have both positive and negative effects on the living. When the Ka and Ba are reunited with the Akh the dead person becomes enduring and unchanged for all eternity.”— Living in Ancient Egypt, Norman Bancrfoft Hunt, 2008.
In Ancient Egyptian belief, the Ka represented the vital essence or spiritual double of a person. Along with the ba (personality), šwt (shadow), the physical body, and the name, it formed one of the five essential aspects of the individual. The Ka was considered the most crucial component for survival in the afterlife, and Ka statues were crafted to serve as eternal dwellings for this spirit.
Such statues were typically housed in niches or mortuary chapels and often enclosed within a naos—a shrine-like structure—designed to protect them and enhance their ritual function. This statue was found lying on its back within its original wooden naos, which had also fallen onto its back. The naos was once partially adorned with gold foil and hieroglyphic inscriptions bearing the king’s royal titles and names. Unfortunately, these inscriptions and decorative elements have not survived.
Dating to the 13th Dynasty, during the late Middle Kingdom (c. 1777–1775 B.C.), the Ka statue of King Hor stands as a rare and invaluable example of royal funerary sculpture. It is now preserved in the Egyptian Museum, Cairo, under inventory number JE 30948.
What is a Ka?
In Ancient Egyptian belief, the soul was a complex and multi-faceted entity composed of several distinct elements, each essential to a person’s identity and existence in both life and the afterlife. Chief among these was the Ka, the vital life-force or spiritual double, which was believed to live on after death and required a physical form, such as a Ka statue, in which to dwell.
The Ba, often depicted as a human-headed bird, represented personality, mobility, and individuality, able to travel between the earthly realm and the afterlife. The Ren, or name, held immense power; to preserve one’s name was to ensure eternal remembrance. The Ib, or heart, was the seat of emotion, thought, and moral judgement, and played a crucial role in the final judgement before the gods.
Lastly, the Šwt, or shadow, was considered an inseparable part of the self, ever-present and imbued with protective qualities. Together, these elements formed the complete essence of a person, each playing a vital role in achieving eternal life and divine harmony.
Summary:
Ka Statue of King Hor Awibre
Middle Kingdom, 13th Dynasty, c. 1777-1775 B.C.
From the tomb of king Hor, Pyramid Complex of Amenemhat III
Now in the Egyptian Museum, Cairo. JE 30948
