Statue of Governor Montuemhat

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Montuemhat kneels humbly behind a towering stela, his hands raised high in reverence. Above him, the damaged top left corner of the stela depicts him similarly devoted, adoring the radiant sun-god Atum-Khepri with fervent passion. A sacred hymn etched below reverently describes Atum's majestic descent into the netherworld at sunset. Meanwhile, a matching statue discovered in Cairo proudly bears a triumphant hymn to the sun bursting forth at sunrise. Both magnificent works are undoubtedly from the grand tomb of this powerful governor. Montuemhat ruled with authority over Upper Egypt from Thebes, initially as a loyal vassal to the mighty Kushite kings. However, he skillfully switched allegiance when Psamtek I of Sais successfully phased out foreign domination by Assyria and Kush, establishing a new era of independence. This extraordinary period occurred during the Late 25th - Early 26th Dynasty, roughly spanning from 700-650 BC. The grand tomb of Montuemhat was crafted from imposing granodiorite stone, hailing from Western Thebes.