Window

The palace of Merenptah featured relatively small windows set high into the walls. This position limited the amount of bright light and dust which would enter the building. Many elite houses also shared this feature. Not only functional, this window is full of religious symbolism. At the top, protective sphinxes face each other. Below the sphinxes, a row of falcon heads of the sun god Re appear, perhaps highlighting the window’s purpose to let in life-giving sunlight. The bottom half portrays a wooden and reed window inscribed forever in stone. Two rolled-up reed blinds are carved with a lotus flower in the center.