The caplike crown with a slot to hold two tall plumes relates this sculpture to some of the other images of Amun/Amun-Re in this vitrine. However, since the inscription on the pectoral, or chest ornament, calls Amunhotep III beloved of Amun-Re, the figure may instead represent the king as an earthly manifestation of the god. The degree to which sculpted faces of kings reflected their actual physiognomies remains uncertain. However, the facial features of this bust are known both from many statues of Amunhotep III and from many statues of deities made during his reign. The faces of Egyptian deities, whose true forms were believed to be hidden, are often those of their era's royal sculpture, perhaps another way of linking pharaoh to the gods.
