Gifts for the gods : images from Egyptian temples

Authors:Marsha Hill, Deborah Schorsch, Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York, N.Y.)

Summary:Throughout their long history, the ancient Egyptians crafted luminous statues of bronze, copper, silver, and gold. These works stood at the crux of the Egyptians' interactions with their gods, from ritual dramas that took place within the temples and chapels to the festival processions through the towns and countryside. This volume is the first to focus on the art and significance of Egyptian metal statuary, as well as the influences acting upon it. Presenting fresh insights into this body of work, the authors trace continuities in the development of the statuary, illuminate how its production was integrated within artistic and social structures, and examine its potential role in ritual practice. The superb statues and statuettes illustrated in this volume were made in a variety of precious metals and copper alloys over a span of two millennia. Also included in this volume are two essays on recent archaeological discoveries that shed light on poorly understood aspects of Egyptian metal statuary. These reports on excavations at the Sacred Animal Necropolis in North Saqqara and at the village of 'Ayn Manâwir in the Kharga Oasis examine the practice surrounding temple statuary, notably that these works were provided by donors for actual use in the temple and, after many years of service, reverently decommissioned and buried in large caches. The final essay explores and explains the intricate technological aspects of Egyptian metal statuary as an integral part of its unique appeal. -- Metropolitan Museum of Art website