This is a true masterpiece crafted from fine granite, depicting the head of a pharaoh or the god Atum, adorned with the double crown of Ancient Egypt. The double crown is a combination of the white crown of Upper Egypt and the red crown of Lower Egypt, representing the unified ancient kingdom and the supreme power of the pharaohs. The portrait of the most powerful individual in an ancient kingdom was typically rendered to exude divine sanctity, as is evident in this piece, where the figure is portrayed as a living god wearing the double crown. The double crown, which symbolizes the unified ancient kingdom and the supreme power of the pharaohs, is echoed in the images of various gods in Ancient Egyptian art. Horus, the pharaoh’s guardian and embodiment of divinity, Atum, the god of creation and the sun, and Mut, the goddess of the heavens and mother of all gods, are all depicted wearing the double crown. This visual similarity establishes a connection between the gods and the ruler, extending their divine guardianship to the ruler and the kingdom. The crown is also adorned with the sacred uraeus cobra, which symbolizes kingship and the protection of the kingdom, placed at the center, and the false beard, which embellishes the chin of the pharaoh, attesting to the divinity and dignity of the ruler. This fine granite sculpture is a masterful work of art that captures both the grandeur of the pharaoh (or god) and the skillful craftsmanship of the sculptor. It is believed to have been created during the mid-late New Kingdom, a time widely considered the greatest and most artistically-prosperous period in Ancient Egyptian history. The hieroglyphs on the back of the sculpture are fragmentary, reading: “The good god Amun-Re, born of god Thoth, the lord of ... ...” This suggests that the sculpture was made in life-size and that an exquisite inscription was once engraved from head to toe.