Bust Fragment from a Colossal Statue of Sekhmet

Pharaoh Amenhotep III commissioned hundreds of human-sized statues of the lion-headed goddess Sekhmet for his funerary temple, including the one to which this head belonged. Sekhmet, whose name means Powerful One, was both a protector and a fierce enemy—the goddess of sunset, destruction, death, and wisdom. Among Sekhmet’s many powers was the ability to unleash and recall disease. For that reason she was closely linked to healing. This impressive fragment conveys the power of this goddess through its sheer size and the simplicity with which it is carved.