Domestic Shrine, c.1479-1425 BC (limestone, originally painted)

Used in the home like an icon, this shrine was originally provided with two wooden doors, hinged at each side and bolted in the center. The upper and lower sockets for the pivots of these doors still survive. The worshiper opened the doors to reveal the representation of King Tuthmosis III seated in front of an offering table. The hieroglyphic inscription at the base tells us that the shrine was made for the tomb worker Amenemheb. The carving is clearly in the style of Tuthmosis III’s reign, showing that such objects of private veneration were produced during the king‘s lifetime.