WorldWide

Featuring life-like obsidian eyes and dating to the Sixth Dynasty (c. 2350 B.C.E.), this 14.5-inch-tall gold falcon head was discovered in the Temple of Horus at Hierakonpolis. A uraeus and diadem support the magnificent double-plumed headdress.

Originally the chief god of the Nile Delta, Horus, the god of the sun, war and protection, became associated with royalty and was credited with uniting ancient Egypt, which caused him to be worshiped throughout the entire region. That bird imagery was found in the Temple of Horus is not surprising, as Horus is often depicted as a falcon or as a falcon-headed man.

This beautiful golden piece is on display at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.