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Material : Bronze and Gold Leaf
Height : 16
Found in : Tanis , Tomb of Psusennes I , Crypt of Psusennes I (1940)
Period : Third Intermediate Period
Reign of : Psusennes I
Dynasty: XXI
Belonged_to: Psusennes I
Excavation : P . Montet
This bronze sword hilt was found among the great corpus of grave goods in the Tomb of Psusennes I , in the crypt of Psusennes I in Tanis . Measuring 16 cm in height , the piece was covered with fine gold leaf that adds to its value . Its upper part takes the shape of a head of a falcon . In the Egyptian mythology , the falcon was highly revered being the bird representation of the god of the sky , Horus . The bird had always been identified with haughtiness , strength , and benevolence . His wings unfolded to stretch out throughout the sky with his eyes– which represented the sun and the moon– filled with pride , strictness , and serenity . Horus was also identified with the deities Ra , Montu , and Sokar . The falcon's eye is in the form of a Wedjat Eye (also the Udjat , Wadjet , or the Eye of Horus) . This eye was a symbol of protection against evil that provides a powerful healing power . The central part is decorated with accurate symmetric imitation of the bird's feathers carved in minute detail .
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