Leopard from the tomb of Thutmose IV
Striding leopard from the tomb of king Thutmose IV
The figure is made of six pieces of wood put together – the body, four legs, and the tail – and has two rectangular mortises on its back for the insertion of tenons. Originally, the piece would have featured inlaid eyes, which have since been lost. It is thought the leopard was a part of a group figurine and not a standalone depiction.
A statuette of a striding big cat with a king on it’s back was discovered within the Tomb of Tutankhamun. A figure of the Boy King can be seen standing upon the back of the prowling animal. Therefore, it is likely, this figure may have once had a statuette of king Thutmose IV upon it’s back too, as the symbolism of the king with graceful feline predators such as leopards and lions were popular motifs among the 18th Dynasty rulers.
Tutankhamun is depicted in the White Crown, known as the Hedjet and associated with Osiris, the god of the Underworld, which suggests the iconography behind such a figure may have been purposefully made as a funerary item.
Such a tradition spanned geographical boarders, and as far as Great Britain, the lion is even today still a symbol of prestige and royalty.
The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, where the piece now resides, writes; “In ancient times, the wild leopard had a much wider distribution than it does now; it inhabited most of Egypt and was at home in both the desert and wetlands. Moving between two worlds as a liminal being, it was a fitting escort for the deceased. Both marsh and desert were perceived as battle zones, no-man’s lands between the world of the living and the world of the dead.
The passage through these unknown regions was full of obstacles, manifested in the wild and dangerous animals that needed to be overcome by the king and his leopard working side by side in the battle between good and evil. In another interpretation, the leopard was an ancient sky goddess, her pelt studded with stars straddling the nocturnal horizon. This notion ties the animal in with the solar circuit, the king’s vehicle across the heavens (like the solar boat) that protected him along the way and ensured his safe journey.”
Materials: Wood covered with bitumen (a substance produced through the distillation of crude oil. Bitumen is known for its waterproofing and adhesive properties and is commonly used in the construction industry, notably for roads and highways. In American English, the material is commonly referred to as asphalt)
New Kingdom, 18th Dynasty, reign of Thutmose IV, c. 1400–1390 B.C.
From the Valley of the Kings, Tomb KV43 (Tomb of Thutmose IV)
Gifted by Theodore M. Davis to the MFA Boston. 03.1137a-b
