This cult figure of a falcon-headed deity is one of Egypt's most fascinating and well-documented antiquities. Probably dating from the early 19th dynasty, ca. 1295-1213 BC, it was cast in solid silver and originally overlaid with gold, the latter still being visible in places. The facial features and wig are accentuated by inlaid rock crystal and lapis lazuli. The delicately modeled musculature creates a powerful and austere image clearly intended to convey the divine presence of the god Horus. As a cult figure, the statue would have been placed in the inner sanctum of a temple. The work was first documented after being found in Egypt during World War I and was subsequently displayed in the Cairo shop of Greek art dealer Nicolas Tano. During that time, it was examined by experts from both the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Howard Carter, the celebrated archaeologist who led the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamen, noted it in his diary in April 1922. Carter too recognized the importance of the piece. Despite the heavy encrustation, the quality of the silver was evident.