Egyptian bronze figure of Sekhmet, 500BC
6 inches high on a 1 inch wood base, 7 inches total

Davids notes: We originally offered this as a faux ancient item in a previous sale, then decided after consultation with one of the foremost experts in ancient art in the world, to offer it as genuine Egyptian, from the period.

Sekhmet
Lion-headed goddesses in Egypt encompassed numerous deities including Sekhmet, Wadjet, and Bastet, among others. In this guise, the goddesses were fierce protective deities, but ones that could also bring about destruction on behalf of the gods, both through violence and through plague and pestilence.

(source: Egyptianmuseum.org) Sekhmet was depicted with the body of a woman with a lion head wearing a sun disk. She was seen as the protector of the pharaohs and led them in warfare. When she was in a calmer state she would take the form of the household cat goddess Bastet.

Sekhmet was a terrifying goddess, however for her friends she could avert plague and cure disease. She was the patron of physicians and healers.

The ancient Egyptians believed that Sekhmet had a cure for every problem. In order to stay on her good side, they offered her food and drink, played music for her, and burned incense. They would whisper their prayers into the ears of cat mummies and offer them to Sekhmet. They believed that this was a direct connection to the deities and their prayers would be answered.

Good condition overall