AMUNHOTEP III

Standing in the Luxor museum, this statue depicts Amunhotep III (because the Egyptians did not use vowels he is alternately called Amenhotep with an e). He was Akhenaten's father and the husband to Queen Tiye. He was also a formidable conqueror and builder. His grandfather, Tuthmosis III, was considered the "Napoleon of Egypt." In stark contrast, his son Akhenaten let much of Egypt's hard-won territories slip away during his reign, concentrating instead on building his own city in the middle of the desert, which he named after himself and the new god he was worshipping: Akhet-Aten.

AMUNHOTEP III

Amunhotep gives up offerings to Amun.

AMUNHOTEP III

Sitting with Queen Tiye and his daughter (between them), this statue is considered a Colossus. Their daughters do not appear in the novel.

AMUNHOTEP III

Amunhotep and Tiye built some of the greatest buildings in Luxor.

AMUNHOTEP III

The Colossi of Memnon was built by Amunhotep III. He was a passionate builder, and these Colossi fronted one of his greatest temples in Egypt. Unfortunately, the temple collapsed in an earthquake in the first century B.C..

MUMMIFIED CAT

This cat is just like the one that Amunhotep's eldest son Tuthmosis was buried with, whom he had called Ta-Miu, meaning "Lady Cat." Tuthmosis should have succeeded his father to the throne, but an early death resulted in Amunhotep IV (later Akhenaten) taking the crown.

AMUNHOTEP III

Amunhotep with the god Sobek

AMUNHOTEP III

This head can be found in Luxor.

AMUNHOTEP III

In Luxor bridges were built and painted.