Lion-headed Bastet
Standing 24.3 cm tall, the figure depicts the goddess with arms dangling, wearing a long robe and holding an ankh, the symbol of life. The eyes, once inlaid, hint at the statuette’s original vivid detail. Hieroglyphic inscriptions name king Piankhi (also known as Piye) and his wife Kenensat, of the 25th Dynasty (c.747–716 B.C.), suggesting the statuette’s role as a votive or dedicatory object commissioned during their reign.
This piece beautifully illustrates the fluidity between Bastet and her more martial aspect akin to Sekhmet, embodying both nurturing and protective forces. While lioness imagery is traditionally associated with Sekhmet, the statue is identified as Bastet, as evidenced by the inscription of the Nubian king Piankhy on its back.
The lion-headed depiction of Bastet in this statue suggests a period when the distinctions between these goddesses were fluid, and their attributes could overlap. Therefore, while Bastet and Sekhmet were distinct deities, they were closely linked in the Egyptian pantheon, and representations such as this one.
Sekhmet & Bastet
In Ancient Egyptian theology, Bastet and Sekhmet were often viewed as two aspects of the same divine force. Sekhmet embodied the fierce, destructive power of the sun, while Bastet represented its nurturing and protective qualities. This duality is reflected in the transformation of Bastet’s iconography over time; from a lioness-headed goddess akin to Sekhmet to a domestic cat-headed deity.
Sekhmet and Bastet, therefore, stand as two powerful, interconnected faces of divine femininity. Sekhmet, the lioness-headed goddess, embodied the fierce, protective, and often destructive forces of the sun, associated with war, plague, and retribution. In contrast, Bastet, whose image evolved from lioness to domestic cat, represented the gentler, nurturing aspects of divinity: protection of the home, fertility, and joyful celebration.
Though distinct, these goddesses were seen as two aspects of the same cosmic balance, with Sekhmet’s fearsome wrath tempered by Bastet’s soothing, protective presence, reflecting the Egyptians’ reverence for the harmony between destruction and renewal.
King Piankhi and the 25th Dynasty
King Piankhi, also known as Piye, was a prominent ruler from the Kingdom of Kush, located in present-day Sudan. He founded Egypt’s 25th Dynasty and reigned from approximately 747 to 714 B.C.
Piankhi is renowned for unifying Egypt under his rule, emphasizing religious devotion, particularly to the god Amun, and restoring traditional temples and practices. His reign marked a period of cultural renaissance, blending Nubian and Egyptian traditions. Queen Kenensat, one of Piankhi’s consorts, is less documented but is acknowledged through inscriptions, such as those on the Bastet statuette, indicating her esteemed position in the royal lineage.
