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Abusir: Statue of Sahura with a god (5th Dynasty)
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Sahura, seated in a throne, with a male deity standing beside him (Egyptian National Museum}.
Sahura, second king of the 5th Dynasty, reigned about 12 years between 2495-2480 BC. He was son of queen Neferhetepes II and the pharoah Userkaf, whom he succeded. Sahura was himself followed by his son Neferirkare Kakai.
Sahure is known for a prosperous reign, in which he launched various far-flung expeditions for purposes of both war and trade. The former included military campaigns against Libyan chieftains in the Western Desert. The latter included naval expeditions to modern day Lebanon to procure cedar trees an slaves; the first known expedition to Punt (modern Somalia) to obtain myrrh, malachite pigment, and electrum (an alloy of gold and silver); and excursions to the copper and turquoise mines of Sinai.
Sahura was the first pharoah to build a royal pyramid at Abusir, where he also constructed a sun temple near that of Userkaf.
In the sculpture shown above, Sahura seated on a throne is notably larger than the god standing beside him, who is identified as a deity by the cross-like ankh symbol held is his left hand.
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