Antiquity · Art Institute of Chicago · 136453
Relief Plaque Depicting the God Horus as a Falcon
Egyptian, Late Period–Ptolemaic Period (664–30 BCE)
Art Institute of Chicago · Museum Purchase Fund · Public domain
- Artist
- Egyptian
- Date
- Late Period–Ptolemaic Period (664–30 BCE)
- Medium
- Limestone
- Dimensions
- 31.1 × 28.3 × 3.2 cm (12 1/4 × 11 1/8 × 1 1/4 in.)
- Era
- Antiquity
Why it matters
Horus, shown as a falcon or a falcon-headed man, was one of the most important gods of the Egyptian pantheon. First appearing about 3000 B.C. Horus continued to be revered through the Ptolemaic and Roman periods. Each Egyptian king was considered to be the “Living Horus on Earth.” The king would often wear a double crown, which symbolized rule over both Northern and Southern Egypt. Here Horus is shown wearing such a crown,confirming the king’s shared identity with the god. Behind Horus is the disk of the sun, protected by a uraeus, a snake symbolizing royalty, from which hangs an ankh, the sign for life.