The Goddess Hathor welcomes Seti I

This bas-relief comes from the tomb of Sethos I - the largest in the Valley of the Kings. The goddess Hathor is shown welcoming the king: she clasps his hand, and holds out her necklace as a symbol of her protection. Thebes was the capital of Egypt during the New Kingdom, and the goddess played an important role in the necropolis area, welcoming the dead and accompanying them into the afterlife. The traditional hieratic quality of Egyptian drawing is tempered by a certain softness here.