Lion Temple at Naqa

From www.homestead.com/wysinger:

The Apedemak Temple at Naqa, Sudan is adorned with reliefs depicting the imposing figures of its builders, Queen Amanitore and King Natakamani doing homage to the three headed Nubian Apedemak lion god and crown prince Arikhankharer. Apedemak's function was that of god of war, which could be clearly traced in his appearance. In the scene of adoration, he is represented in a human shape with a lion's head. Apedemak's doubling of hands touches the king and queen with one pair of hands and at the same time another one is holding the bunch of plants. The worship of this god as a god of fertility stemmed from his being compared with the king responsible for the welfare of his people. The position of the two pairs of hands symbolizes the equal measures of good deeds which the God renders to the king and queen. This royal pair, who lived at about the time of Christ, resided over a Meroitic Golden Age, as the remains of numerous buildings bear their names. In the decorative scheme of this temple the figure of the queen appears just as prominently as that of her husband, providing a clear indication of the unusual status accorded women in the Meroitic monarchy.