XII Dynasty

 

SESOSTRIS III

King Sesostris III enthroned in a Shrine on a Sacred Boat:
the King is represented like Osiris, wearing the Hedjet (“the White Crown”) and holding the Nekhakha-Flail and the Uas-Scepter of Power and Dominion; on the base of the Throne is depicted the Sema-Tawy (lotus and papyrus entwined, the symbol of the Union of the Two Lands);
before the King are represented four personified Ankh signs and Uas-scepters holding sacred standards.
Detail from the interior of the Temple of Dedun and Sesostris III at Heh (now called “semna”, 40 km south of the second cataract of the Nile, Upper Kush). This Temple, now always completely submerged under the waters of the Nile due to the construction of the High dam of Aswan (like all the Temples of Lower Kush), has been reconstructed in the National Museum of Khartoum…

 

Pectoral of the Princess Mereret, daughter of King Sesostri III (ca. 1878–1840 BCE), in the form of a shrine with lotus columns (gold, turquoise, carnelian, amethyst, lapis lazuli):
a double representation of King sesostri III in the form of Hieraconsphinx (Falcon-headed Lion) trampling over the enemies of Egypt.
At the top is represented the Goddess Nekhbet in Her form of sacred vulture spreading Her wings as a sign of protection and holding two shen-rings (symbol of eternity and eternal protection). In the middle of the pectoral, the cartouche with the royal name of King Sesostris III as “King of Upper and Lower Egypt”:
“the Ka-spirit of Ra has appeared”.