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Statue of Heqat, the Frog Goddess

Egypt, Predynastic Period to Early Dynastic Period, Early Dynasty 1 (2950-2573 BC)
Medium: travertine
Measurements: Overall: 15.4cm x 14.7cm x 15.5cm
Date: c. 3050-2900 BC

Andrew R. and Martha Holden Jennings Fund 1976.5

  


There are a lot of animal sculptures in Egyptian art but large-scale animal sculptures of such an early date as this one are extremely rare.

Small frogs, mostly of faiencea type of decorated earthenware--are among the most common votive offerings deposited at early temple sites.

The frog's exact religious significance in the Predynastic Period is unknown, but in later times it was most often identified with Heqat, the goddess who assisted at childbirth. There were two kinds of frogs represented in Egyptian art. One was the Bufo viridis, the puffed-up toad-like amphibian. The other is Rana mascareniensis, the more slender frog with a slightly elongated face.

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