18th Dynasty statue
- Culture: 18th Dynasty
- Object type: statue
- Materials: quartzite
- Museum number: EA7
- Museum: The British Museum
- Collection record: British Museum website
- Image © The Trustees of the British Museum, shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 licence.
Listen to the free audio guide
About this object
Before you stands a powerful head carved from quartzite, representing Amenhotep III, one of ancient Egypt’s most influential pharaohs. Wearing the red crown of Lower Egypt with a coiled uraeus, his face is both grand and intimate, shaped with astonishing precision. His eyes, deeply carved and angled downward, appear to gaze directly at you, a deliberate artistic choice to create a striking connection with the viewer.
The polished surface glimmers on his face, yet the mouth and eyes are left subtly duller, enhancing their expressive form. His plump cheeks and slight smile convey a youthful, approachable presence, softened by rich layers of makeup that extend back from his eyes to his temples.
This head was once part of a life-size statue towering over eight meters tall—part of a carefully arranged display in the temple of Amenhotep III. These statues, positioned in symmetrical order, symbolized the divine authority of the king, reinforcing his lasting power during and after his reign.
See it in person
18th Dynasty statue is on display at the British Museum on Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury, London — free to enter. Choose British Museum on audioguide.london and take a photo of it to hear this free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
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