King as Falcon
New Kingdom, Dynasty 18, reign of Tuthmosis III (?), 1479-1425 BC
Red jasper
Musée du Louvre E 5351
cat. no. 10

The true nature of this statuette is revealed on the back and sides, for the king is depicted with the wings and body of a falcon. The statuette represents the ruler as the physical manifestation, or ba, of the sun and sky god Horus, who appeared in the form of a falcon. It also alludes to a second concept of the ba as an aspect of the soul represented by a human-headed bird.

The inscription on the front breaks off just short of identifying the specific ruler portrayed. Because of its style, the head could represent either Hatshepsut or Tuthmosis III. The number of small-scale statues representing Tuthmosis III and his fondness for falcon imagery suggest that he is the ruler depicted. Red jasper, a semi-precious stone, was often used for beads and amulets but only rarely for statues.