Brady Sheaffer

NAHC

Legacy Project

May 15, 2015

Amenhotep II in the Double Crown, Kneeling and Praying

Eternal Truth: Leadership and Unity drive nations forward.
The Egyptian Empire was a prominent force in the ancient world spanning from 5000 BC
to 30 A.D, they united under one leader and striving to become a superpower in the ancient
world. But Egypt was not always such a dominant empire for it was spilt into two warring and
arguing nations that were plagued with civil war and strife. Life from the Egyptian empire can be
witnessed in scrolls, mummies, and statues; all of which can be seen in the plethora of exhibits in
the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Amenhotep II in the Double Crown Kneeling and Praying
created in 1427-1400 B.C. it represents the divine leadership of the pharaoh and the eternal truth
that leadership and unity drive nations forward.
Despite being only 1113/16 inches tall this prayer token carries a lot of significance to the
culture of Egyptian culture. This well-known item is also known as Amenhotep II in the Double
Crown Kneeling and Praying.1 The object is made out of limestone, interestingly enough it is the
same material used for the pyramids. Currently the piece is located at the Metropolitan Museum
of Art in Gallery 118, but originally it is believed to have originated from either Thebes or Deir
el-Medina. According to testing and relevant historical events it is believed to be made around
1427-1400 B.C.

1 "Amenhotep II in the Double Crown, Kneeling and Offering." The Collection Online-MET Museum.
Web. 5 May 2015.

This time period is important because it was around the time Amenhotep II was
pronounced Pharaoh of Egypt after his father Thutmose III passed away. This intricately chiseled
memento depicts Amenhotep kneeling to the gods and offering them gifts inside vases.
Amenhotep is pictured in an ideal state a common trend amongst most statues of pharaohs due to
the fact they were considered more divine then human. Therefore the pharaoh played an
important role as a religious and political leader, Project History says,
The pharaoh was the symbolic father of all of the citizens of Egypt. It was believed that
the pharaoh was a direct relative of the sun god Ra, so it makes sense that one of the
pharaoh's main duties was to care for his people as a father cares for his children.2
As the father of the empire the pharaoh was the direct connection between humanity and the
gods, making him responsible for crops, health, and safety.
Furthermore, most pharaohs including Amenhotep II are pictured having long, narrow
and conspicuous beards. These beards were usually artificial and didn't function as simple style
statements; instead at the time beards were not common among the public. In fact, many gods
and divine figures possessed beards, so this artificial beard was another reason on why they
deserved to be honored as a pharaoh. Another important feature to recognize is the crown that
Amenhotep adorns upon his head, specifically the double crown. For a long time Egypt was split
in two, upper and lower, but eventually they put their differences aside and united. A source
about that double crown dictates,

In an act of asserting the royal authority, the monarchy of a unified Egypt created a new
crown by combining the traditional crowns of the Upper and Lower Kingdoms. This new

2 "Role of the Pharaoh in Ancient Egypt." Project History. Accessed May 11, 2015.

crown symbolized the unification of the kingdoms into one state, under the control of one
ruler. The First Dynasty had begun.3
This relates back to the eternal truth of the significance of leadership and unity; and it in this case
how Egypt viewed the pharaoh as a central figure to their success and harmony as a nation.
Without the help of the pharaohs and the symbolic power of the double crown, Egypt would
possibly never unite or become as powerful as it was.
With their rich culture, diverse economy, and powerful army Egypt was one of the most
successful empires known to humankind. Therefore it only makes sense that this delicately
crafted prayer token was crafted during the height of the Egyptian empire during 1500-1300 BC,
specifically 1427-1400 BC. Furthermore, the Egyptian empire was in the center of the ancient
world and due to its position on the globe their arts were developed by the Greeks, Romans, and
Arabs. To add to the significance of the location the piece was developed in Thebes, a hub for art
and culture. A quote from the Chronicle of Pharaohs states, The shrines, temples, public
buildings and terraces of Thebes were unsurpassed for their beauty and splendor. It was written
that all other cities were judged 'after the pattern of Thebes4 The capital of Thebes was a state of
the art city which influenced artists and architects form around the world.
Moving on, religion was a centerpiece for almost every powerful civilization and
therefore a predominant section of their art was based on religion. Emily Teeter and Douglas
Brewer explain in further detail,

3 "Symbology in Ancient Egypt: The Scepter, the Double Crown and Egypt United." Echoes from
History. September 7, 2011. Accessed May 11, 2015.
4 Clayton, Peter A. "Amenhotep II." Chronicle of the Pharaohs: The Reign-by-reign Record of the Rulers
and =Dynasties of Ancient Egypt. New York: Thames and Hudson, 1994.

In Egypt, religion and life were so interwoven that it would have been impossible to be
agnostic. Astronomy, medicine, geography, agriculture, art, and civil law--virtually every
aspect of Egyptian culture and civilization--were manifestations of religious beliefs.5
Religion guided Egyptians everyday life and without it they would have no inspiration or
guidance. This memento of Amenhotep II is pictured offering gifts to the gods and kneeling
before them asking for acceptance. The public looked to the pharaohs as an example on how to
be a perfect person, therefore they would have this statue with them to pray like the pharaoh. The
development of this token and many other statues, obelisks, and pyramids were influenced by the
location of Egypt, the significance religion, and idolization of pharaohs.
The history of nations is dependent on what the society leaves behind, other than art
another revealing factor is the texts that created their way of life. One of the books that has
transcended time and offers insight into the religious behaviors of Egyptians is the Book of the
Dead. A quote from the Book of the Dead, Plate 16, Chapter 30, Homage to thee, O my heart!
Homage to you, O my reins! Homage to you, O ye gods who rule over the divine clouds, and
who are exalted by reason of your scepters.6 This quote comes from a man praising the gods for
sparing his life and shows the true dedication and love shown towards the divine. Yet in Egyptian
culture gods were not only divine, but also human; this can be seen when Osiris is slain and Ra
grows old and feeble. Furthermore with this combination of human and divine traits, then this
leaves room for pharaohs too also be divine. Therefore, this man and the rest of the population
werent just praying to Anubis, Osiris, and Ra. They were also praying to their pharaoh, their
divine leader and unifier.

5 Teeter, Emily, and Douglas Brewer. "Religion in the Lives of the Ancient Egyptians." The University of
Chicago Library Digital Collections. March 27, 2002. Accessed May 12, 2015.
6 Budge, Wallis. "PLATE XVI." Sacred Texts. Accessed May 12, 2015. http://www.sacredtexts.com/egy/ebod/ebod23.htm.

The pharaohs were extremely key for everyday actions, they were leaders of society who
conjoined Upper and Lower Egypt into one harmonious empire. A quote from the famous
pharaoh Akhenaton states, To be satisfied with a little, is the greatest wisdom; and he that
increaseth his riches, increaseth his cares; but a contented mind is a hidden treasure, and trouble
findeth it not.7 That was the mindset that many pharaohs young and old mimicked in order to
strive for success, by having a content mind they were able to govern Egypt with knowledge and
bravery. With this knowledge and bravery the pharaohs over the years were able to propel this
once small nation onto world prominence.
Not only did the pharaohs have to be strong in the mind, they had to be proficient in
many other jobs and roles. This is explained by the book titled Ancient Civilization, The
pharaohs who ruled Egypt for about 3,000 years were by and large capable administrators, strong
military leaders, sophisticated traders, and overseers of great building projects.8 Without the
pharaohs fulfilling these roles Egyptian culture would have crawled to a standstill; each of the
responsibilities named above contributed to the overall success of the nation. A strong military
leader is needed to gain lands and fend off enemies. While a sophisticated trader is required to
create relationships with other nations and extend the countrys influence to all corners of the
globe. Lastly, an overseer for building projects to honor the past heroes and leave a legacy for the
future. All of these tasks and more are demanded of the pharaoh, and time and after time each
pharaoh met the goal of pushing Egypt forward across all levels. Whether its a prayer memento
of a pharaoh or a 455 foot pyramid, the pharaoh was always behind the planning, executing, and

7 Chang, Larry. "Wealth and Prosperity." In Wisdom for the Soul: Five Millennia of Prescriptions for
Spiritual Healing, 744. Washington, DC: Gnosophia Publishers, 2006.
8 "Ancient Egypt." In Ancient Civilizations, 27-30. Vol. 3. Independence Hall Association.

inspiring of the publics duties; which in turn pushed the Egyptian empire to new and
unthinkable heights.
Leaders surround the world no matter the location or significance, whether its a captain
on a sports team or a political leader they always have an impact. This impact can arrange from
an assortment things, but at the end of the day it is the leaders that everyone else looks up to in
order to get stuff done. Since the Americas independence in 1776 there has always been one
figure the public looks towards for leadership and guidance, the president. The current president
is Barack Obama and currently is a global figure for leadership and unity. Malcolm Friedberg, a
writer for the Huffington Post, gives his opinion on Obama,
.that's the man I want to run my country: the man who has the courage to do what's
best for all of us, and not to compromise because it provides him with some short-term
gain. Show me the man that will risk losing the election because he won't compromise his
values, and I'll show you the man that deserves the right to be called the President of the
United States of America.9
Being the leader of the world superpower, Barack needs to use his leadership to govern America
and push it forward. Furthermore, the name of the country is called the United States of
America, throughout most of history the states have acted has one in order to make America the
best in the world. The metaphor of a conductor in a band resembles how a president works with
the rest of America; there are many different sounds in a band or in the case of America the
plethora of opinions from the 50 states. But it only takes one to take the chaos and turn it into
harmony, this man is the president or depending on how its viewed the conductor.

9 Friedberg, Malcolm. "Barack Obama's Integrity." The Huffington Post. March 21, 2008. Accessed May
13, 2015.

21st century is not only defined by its people, but also by the arts including music,
painting, literature, and especially movies. Sure there are adventure, mystery, comedies, and
chick flicks; but some of the best movies are the ones a person can take away a lesson from and
apply into real life. Coach Carter a 2006 film highlights the true story of an inner city high
school basketball coach trying to save his players from the streets by using basketball as an outlet
and future. Sports writer Gordon Tredgold comments, Leadership can often require us to take a
stand, to back our beliefs even in the face of mounting criticism, even though we might be in the
minority. We have to stand up for our beliefs, be true to our values. Coach Carter believes that
his players are student athletes, with the emphasis on student first. This creates a conflict
between him and the players but even still he stands his ground, committed to what he
believes.10 Resilience and persistence under pressure is the mindset that any leader can copy and
achieve with. When crops didnt grow or plague swept across Egypt all criticism falls onto the
pharaoh, but he must keep faith in his belief that the gods will grant his prayers. Similarly Coach
Carter undergoes the same disapproval, along with many other new coaches as they try to
implement their new philosophies and mesh with the team. By sticking to his values on
academics and basketball Coach Carter took a 4 win team, to an undefeated one in one season;
this moral of persistence paying off is one that everyone can learn. Despite being many
distractions, disappointments, and flat out failures in the 21st century; there are also many
examples that demonstrate true leadership and rising above the hatred to create a united culture.
Ultimately, this way of life has transcended time and had a positive impact on humanity as it
continually drives nations and people forward.

10 Tredgold, Gordon. "5 Leadership Lessons from Coach Carter." The Leadership Hub - The World's
First Online Leadership Community. June 23, 2014. Accessed May 14, 2015.

Amenhotep II in the Double Crown, Kneeling and Praying represents so much more than
just a prayer token; it epitomizes the power of Egyptian leadership and unity as an empire. Egypt
and its all-important capital of Thebes played a huge factor in the development of not only this
prayer memento, but also the expansion of other arts such as language and pyramids. As seen in
the Book of the Dead, the public were reliant on the divine figures including the pharaoh to save
them. Pharaohs in general were not only religious leaders they also had to be robust military
generals, educated traders, and supervisor of building projects; these duties contributed to the
growth of the Egyptian empire. Even in the 21st century leaders are all around us and affect our
daily lives, including one of the most well-known leaders of the century, Barack Obama. Just like
the ancient world the arts still carry significance in the 21st century; a 2006 film Coach Carter
teaches the lessons of guidance, perseverance, and unity as a team. Eternal truths are something
that can transcend time and space and be applicable to anyones life; likewise it has been proven
that leadership and unity drive nations forward to achieve greater things which is a lesson that
everyone can learn from.

Bibliography
"Amenhotep II in the Double Crown, Kneeling and Offering." The Collection Online-MET
Museum. Web. 5 May 2015.
"Ancient Egypt." In Ancient Civilizations, 27-30. Vol. 3. Independence Hall Association.
Emily Teeter and Douglas Brewer. "Religion in the Lives of the Ancient Egyptians." The
University of Chicago Library Digital Collections. March 27, 2002. Accessed May 12, 2015.
Gordon Tredgold. "5 Leadership Lessons from Coach Carter." The Leadership Hub - The World's
First Online Leadership Community. June 23, 2014. Accessed May 14, 2015.
Larry Chang. "Wealth and Prosperity." In Wisdom for the Soul: Five Millennia of Prescriptions
for Spiritual Healing, 744. Washington, DC: Gnosophia Publishers, 2006.

Malcolm Friedberg. "Barack Obama's Integrity." The Huffington Post. March 21, 2008. Accessed
May 13, 2015.
Peter A. Clayton. "Amenhotep II." Chronicle of the Pharaohs: The Reign-by-reign Record of the
Rulers and Dynasties of Ancient Egypt. New York: Thames and Hudson, 1994.
"Role of the Pharaoh in Ancient Egypt." Project History. Accessed May 11, 2015.
"Symbology in Ancient Egypt: The Scepter, the Double Crown and Egypt United." Echoes from
History. September 7, 2011. Accessed May 11, 2015.
Wallis Budge. "PLATE XVI." Sacred Texts. Accessed May 12, 2015. http://www.sacredtexts.com/egy/ebod/ebod23.htm.

Amenhotep II Prcis
Thesis: Amenhotep II in the Double Crown Kneeling and Praying demonstrates how leadership
and unity drive nations forward in the Ancient World.
Argument 1: The object itself is a beautiful piece of art that captures the essence of Egyptian
culture and the importance of the pharaoh.
Evidence 1: Amenhotep II in the Double Crown, Kneeling and Praying from the MET
Museum was bought from Howard Carter in 1913.
Analysis 1: The Double Crown represents unity because it was combination of crowns from
Upper and Lower Egypt. This is important because it means that the pharaoh is the unifying
figure and the true leader of Egypt. Furthermore, the pharaoh is also seen as a religious and
divine individual. Therefore people would have this token not only to praise with the pharaoh but
pray with him.

Argument 2: The Empire of Egypt and the capital of Thebes were instrumental in developing the
arts and culture including Amenhotep II in the Double Crown, Kneeling and Praying.
Evidence 2: A quote from the Chronicle of Pharaohs states, The shrines, temples, public
buildings and terraces of Thebes were unsurpassed for their beauty and splendor. It was written
that all other cities were judged 'after the pattern of Thebes
Analysis 2: Due to the fact that Egypt valued religion and art, this led to an influx of sculptors,
architects, and artists that altered the course of Egypts history and leadership.
Argument 3: The history of nations is dependent on what the society leaves behind, other than art
another revealing factor is the texts that created their way of life. One of the books that has
transcended time and offers insight into the religious behaviors of Egyptians is the Book of the
Dead.
Evidence 3: Book of the Dead from Plate 15, Chapter 30, Homage to thee, O my heart!
Homage to you, O my reins! Homage to you, O ye gods who rule over the divine clouds, and
who are exalted by reason of your scepters.
Analysis 3: This quote comes from a man praising the gods for sparing his life and shows the
true dedication and love shown towards the divine. Yet in Egyptian culture were not only divine,
but also human; this can be seen when Osiris is slain and Ra grows old and feeble. Furthermore
with this combination of human and divine traits, then this leaves room for pharaohs too also be
divine. Therefore, this man and the rest of the population werent just praying to Anubis, Osiris,
and Ra. They were also praying to their pharaoh, their divine leader and unifier.
Conclusion: Amenhotep in the Double Crown Kneeling and Praying, the developed artistic
culture of Egypt, and the worship of the divinity reaffirms how leadership and unity between the
people can push a nation to new heights.