Statuette of the Goddess Taweret

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

In all likelihood, this statuette represents the goddess Taweret, whose domain was the protection of pregnant women, especially during childbirth. Her menacing image, intended to frighten away demons and other deadly creatures, combines human, hippopotamus, crocodile, and lion attributes. The post on her head probably supported a metal crown in the shape of a sun disk, surmounted by either feathers or horns. The stylized symbol under her front paws can be best interpreted as the sa amulet. Although Taweret was worshipped in both secular and sacred settings, this statuette's almost perfect condition, exceptional craftsmanship, size, and iconography suggest that it was created for a temple—possibly for the "birth house" where this goddess was linked with Isis. In the past, the piece was identified as true glass. While it is difficult to identify the material precisely, pooling of glaze around the feet and the slightly grainy structure visible in a few places strongly argue for glassy faience. Possibly the overall form was created in a mold, but details of the head and extremities, which convey the deity's power and intimidating nature, must have been modeled by hand. The pale blue color of the glaze assists in assigning a Ptolemaic Period date.

Egyptian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met collection of ancient Egyptian art consists of approximately 30,000 objects of artistic, historical, and cultural importance, dating from about 300,000 BCE to the 4th century CE. A signifcant percentage of the collection is derived from the Museum's three decades of archaeological work in Egypt, initiated in 1906 in response to increasing interest in the culture of ancient Egypt.

Metropolitan Museum of Art