Lady Touy, the enigmatic superior of the harem of the ancient Egyptian god Min, has captured the attention of historians and art lovers alike with her striking statuette, on display at the Louvre Museum in Paris. Carved from a precious wood, the statuette depicts Lady Touy in all her regal splendor, adorned with intricate jewelry and a beautiful hairstyle made of braids. Her serene expression and upright posture convey a sense of power and authority, befitting a high-ranking member of the Kemetic clergy.
But beyond her stunning appearance, Lady Touy’s significance lies in her role as a superior of the harem of god Min at the capital city of Thebes, during the New Kingdom. She lived during the 18th Dynasty, under the reign of Amenhotep III, ca. 1391-1353 BC. Min was a god of fertility and harvest, embodiment of the masculine principle; he was also worshipped as the Lord of the Eastern Desert. His cult originated in predynastic times (4th millennium bce). He was represented with phallus erect, a flail in his raised right hand.
Visitors to the Louvre Museum have been marveling at the beauty and detail of Lady Touy’s statuette, a rare and precious glimpse into the lives of the powerful women who served the gods in Kemet. It is a testament to the enduring allure of this fascinating and mysterious civilization, and the enduring fascination with the powerful women who shaped its history.
The restoration project aims to combat the longstanding distortion of African history through visuals. For too long, ancient African figures who accomplished great things have been misrepresented as white or white-passing, while the contributions of all groups of people have been erased or minimized. This systematic falsification of history has had a damaging effect on the self-esteem and opportunities of African people, and has contributed to the oppression they experience in their daily lives.
As part of this project, I am excited to present you with this facial reconstruction of Lady Touy, created based on her statuette now on display at the Louvre Museum in Paris. In creating this reconstruction, I was careful to accurately depict her skin color as brown, as seen on the statuette. I hope you will enjoy this glimpse into the appearance of this remarkable woman and appreciate the care I took in accurately representing her.
Lady Touy was a superior of the harem of the ancient Egyptian god Min and lived during the 18th Dynasty, under the reign of Amenhotep III. Her statuette offers a rare and precious glimpse into the lives of the powerful women who served the gods in ancient Egypt, and is a testament to the enduring allure of this fascinating and mysterious African civilization.
If you would like to support this initiative, please consider making a donation or spreading the word about the ‘Restoration Project’ to your network. Together, we can work towards a future where all groups of people are accurately and fairly represented in the historical narrative. Thank you for visiting our website and for supporting this important cause.
