Mehet-Weret (Hathor)

from the tomb of Tutankhamun
Gilded and varnished wood
Luxor Museum

This outstanding sculpture, from Tutankhamun's tomb, represents Mehet-weret, an ancient deity associated with the Nile, the Milky Way, and the primordial waters of creation. Hathor in this form (the cosmic cow) was thought to have given birth to Re at the beginning of time, and to accompany him on his nightly journey through the underworld.