Sakhmet at The British Museum, London

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The Egyptian goddess Sekhmet was a force of destruction, feared by her enemies in myth as the fiery eye of Re. She also appeared as the cobra on the brow of the king, ready to defend him with fierce power. Known for being powerful and mighty, Sekhmet is often depicted as a lioness-headed woman. This depiction may have originated from the observation that female lions are typically the hunters. King Amenhotep III had an enormous number of statues of Sekhmet erected in his mortuary temple at Western Thebes, likely to pacify her fierce power. Over 600 of these statues have been accounted for, with fragments of over 20 found at the British Museum, making it the largest collection outside Egypt. In Egypt, a significant number of the original group can still be seen in their original location. The statues show Sekhmet wearing a sun disc on her head and holding the symbol of life (the ankh) in one hand. The standing versions also hold a sceptre shaped like a papyrus plant. One of the seated statues is inscribed with King Amenhotep III's names and a dedication to "Sekhmet, who strikes down the Nubians." Over time, Sekhmet became increasingly associated with Mut, an aggressive manifestation of the goddess. Many of the statues were later moved to the precinct of the Temple of Mut at Karnak by Pinudjem I, a priest-king, around 1050 BC. This object is part of "Scan The World," a non-profit initiative introduced by MyMiniFactory. Through this project, we are creating a digital archive of fully printable sculptures and artworks from across the globe for public access. Scan The World is an open-source community effort, inviting anyone to contribute interesting items by emailing stw@myminifactory.com to learn how you can help.