While clearly recognised as an aspect of the god Horus, scholars often identify the Iwn-mwt.f as a human ritual functionary who is frequently assigned the title ‘priest.’ The contexts in which representations of the Iwn-mwt.f survive―monumental stone reliefs with apparent sacerdotal connotations―has influenced this interpretation. Nevertheless, the themes depicted on the buildings in question in fact reflect the political ideology of the pharaonic state, particularly as it relates to the office of kingship, not religious doctrine. The present study focusses on the ideological context of representations in the Theban ritual landscape in which the Iwn-mwt.f appears and concludes that the title ‘priest’ may not be appropriate here because the character is not a servant of the gods, but a visual representation of notions fundamental to the structure of ancient Egyptian kingship.