Tutankhamun's Treasures - Divine Guardian


Imsety (Or Atum? Or Sened?)
Wood, Gesso, Gold Leaf, Black Resin, Bronze, Obsidian (eyes)
Height 63cm (25.8 inches)
Grand Egyptian Museum, #110 (Formerly JE 60734)

The info card says "Figure of Sened", "one of the protector gods". Only trouble is, I've never come across such a deity. I did locate a 2nd Dynasty pharaoh with that name, but that is all.

However, "An inscription in yellow paint on the base of this divine figure identifies the deity as 'Atum, the living god'"(T.G.H. James, Tutankhamun, Metro books/White Star 2000) page 149)

"According to the Heliopolitan cosmogony [...] Atum was god of the creative principle whereby the world was created from primeval chaos." (Richard H. Wilkinson, Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt, Thames and Hudson 2003) page 99) "Atum is most frequently represented in anthromorphic form and is usually depicted in this manner wearing the dual crown of Upper and Lower Egypt..." (Wilkinson, 100)

But what if that ancient inscription is a mistake? After the Amarna disaster, people might have been a bit confused. I'm thinking this could be one of the four sons of Horus named Imsety. The four sons are usually depicted mummiform, as is this statue. Imsety, who protects the liver, along with Isis, is the only one who is depicted with a human face. We already have two other sons of Horus, Duamutef and Qebehsenuef, so this would be a stylistic match. No, we don't have the baboon headed Hapy.... (perhaps it didn't get finished in time to go into his tomb?)

At any rate, it is a beautiful statue of a Divine being.