Statue of Taweret

LOCATION

OWNER

FEET

METERS

THE ISLAND

LOST

250

370

A giant statue of the Egyptian goddess Taweret stood in its entirety on the shore of the Island. Jacob lived in a chamber in the statue’s pedestal for an unknown amount of time, even after the statue’s near total destruction in 1867 by a storm surge that propelled the Black Rock into the head of the statue, smashing it to pieces. The ship’s impact preserved only the statue’s left calf and foot with its distinctive four toes. The remains of the statue are within view of the Orchid station.

Before its destruction, the statue depicted Taweret, the Egyptian goddess of protection, birth and fertility. (Enhanced commentary) Egyptians also considered Tawaret the god of the northern sky and generally depicted her as a humanoid with the head of a hippopotamus. Built of grey stone, the statue stood some 240–250 ft (75 m) in height. The figure stands one foot slightly forward, looking out to sea with a giant ankh held in each hand. Taweret is depicted as having four toes on each foot.