25th Dynasty

Doorkeeper of the House of Amun, Pakherenkhonsu

A stout man, bald and adorned in pleated linens, Pakherenkhonsu, is depicted striding forth with a broom in one hand, showcasing his temple duties as the “Doorkeeper of the House of Amun“. We can presume Pakherenkhonsu’s job consisted of securing the sanctuary, as well as maintaining the surroundings; keeping things tidy and righteous for the...

Copper Alloy Relief of a Nubian man

This intricately cut copper alloy relief, dated stylistically to the 25th–26th Dynasties (c. 760–526 B.C.), portrays a Nubian male in a loincloth, carrying a basket, with a monkey perched on his shoulder. Its flat back and low thickness (0.8 cm) suggest it was designed to be affixed to a flat surface, such as a wooden...

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. The statuette is crafted from stone, though the specific type is not identified in available records. Hieroglyphic inscriptions name king...

Tamit

Tamit is an Ancient Egyptian mummy housed in the Egyptian Museum of Turin (inv. no. Cat. 2218/02, CGT 13003), dating to the Twenty-fifth Dynasty, c.722–664 B.C. Her provenance is likely Thebes, in modern-day Luxor, a major religious centre of Ancient Egypt. Examination of her remains reveals that she died at a young age and was...

Golden Ram’s-head Amulet

This golden Ram’s-head amulet was probably made for a necklace worn by one of the Kushite kings. Representations show these pharaohs wearing a ram’s-head amulet tied around the neck on a thick cord, the ends of which fall forward over the shoulders. Sometimes a smaller ram’s head is attached to each end. Rams were associated...

Statue of Kushite King

This bronze statuette depicts a king of Kushite origin who ruled Egypt during the 25th Dynasty of the Third Intermediate Period. The Twenty-fifth Dynasty of Egypt (notated Dynasty XXV, alternatively 25th Dynasty or Dynasty 25), also known as the Nubian Dynasty, the Kushite Empire, or the Napatans after their city Napata, was Egypt’s final dynasty...

Sphinx of Taharqa

Sphinx of Taharqa

Taharqa, also spelled Taharka or Taharqo (Egyptian: 𓇿𓉔𓃭𓈎 tꜣhrwq, Akkadian: Tar-qu-ú, Hebrew: תִּרְהָקָה, Modern: Tīrhaqa, Tiberian: Tīrhāqā, Manetho’s Tarakos, Strabo’s Tearco), was a Nubian king of the 25th Egyptian Dynasty rulers of the Kingdom of Kush, c.747–656 B.C. The Sphinx of Taharqa is a granite gneiss statue of a sphinx with the face of Taharqa....

Coffin of Hor

Coffin of Hor

The outer coffin of Hor belongs to the type known as “qeresu”, i.e., a rectangular box with small pillars, which made its appearance during the 25th Dynasty. It is a “cosmogram”, its vaulted lid representing the sky and the case the earthly realm of Osiris. Its iconography reflects this concept: a cordon of deities is...

Takabuti is the most famous Ancient Egyptian icon in Ireland. She has been on display at the Ulster Museum for over a century.

Mummy of Takabuti

Takabuti was a young Theban woman who died in her twenties or early thirties towards the end of Ancient Egypt’s 25th Dynasty, c. 755-656 B.C. The daughter of a Priest of Amun named Nespara and a woman named Tasenirit, Takabuti is believed to have been a married woman who lived and died in Thebes. She...

Hathor suckling the Kushite Queen Nefrukakashta

Hathor suckling the Kushite Queen Nefrukakashta

Gilded silver amulet shows the Kushite Queen Nefrukakashta being embraced and nursed by a goddess, probably Hathor.Nubian, Napatan Period, reign of Piankhy (Piye), c. 743–712 B.C.From el-Kurru, Ku 52 (tomb of Queen Nefrukekashta)Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. 24.928 The Hathor suckling the Kushite Queen Nefrukakashta sculpture is a fascinating example of Egyptian art, specifically from...