Loading, please wait...
LOT 0456
Egyptian Amethyst Ba-Bird Amulet
LATE PERIOD, 664-332 B.C.
3/8 in. (0.62 grams, 9.8 mm).
Crouched figure of a human-headed Ba-bird on a rectangular base, carved in the round. [No Reserve]
Provenancewith Archaeologia, Switzerland, before 1983.
Ex private North American collection.
London private collection, 2016.
See Andrews, C., Amulets of Ancient Egypt, London, 1994, pp. 67-68, for discussion.
CONDITIONTimeLine Auctions follows a vetting process to ensure the authenticity and legality of all items, reinforcing our commitment to integrity and responsible trading. Each antiquity, antique, and coin lot undergoes thorough examination by a vetting committee of at least ten external specialists, professional trade association members, scientists, and archaeologists: Our Vetting Process
AUCTIONS:
TimeLine is a leading auction house specialising in antiquities, ancient art, collectables, natural history, coins, medals, and books. Our auctions offer museums, collectors, historians, and enthusiasts the opportunity to acquire unique and historically significant pieces.
-
.jpg)
Egyptian Green Stone Frog Amulet
Late Period, 664-332 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £351
Modelled seated on an oval base; pierced for suspension. 1.47 grams, 13 mm
Mrs Allinson to Mrs Foster, 1867 and thence by descent to the current owner, Stanley Crescent, London, UK.
Frog amulets in ancient Egypt symbolised fertility, rebirth, and renewal. Associated with the goddess Heket, who was connected to childbirth and life-giving forces, these amulets were especially popular in contexts related to fertility and protection during pregnancy and labour. Their association with the annual Nile flood, which brought new life to the land, further underscored their symbolism of revival and abundance. -
Egyptian Faience Mummy Bead Necklace with Bastet
Late Period, 664-332 B.C. and laterSold for (Inc. bp): £111
Restrung necklace of tubular and annular beads with later pendant figure of Bastet as centrepiece. 9.93 grams, 80 cm long
From a private Tyneside collection, formed since the early 2000s. -
Egyptian Blue Faience Bastet Cat Amulet
New Kingdom, circa 1550-1070 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £715
Modelled seated on a tongue-shaped base, with simple facial detailing and suspension loop to the back. 3.25 grams, 28 mm
Ex London gallery and Belinda Elliston, a member of the Egyptian Exploration Society, 1940s onwards.
In ancient Egypt, the cat was venerated as the sacred animal of the goddess Bastet, whose principal cult centre was Bubastis in the Nile Delta. Although cats were once part of folk practice, their veneration as part of formal cults spread across Egypt during the Late Period. Bastet was closely linked to lion-headed goddesses like Sekhmet, Tefnut, and Pakhet, and the cat itself became associated with solar imagery: the Book of the Dead portrays the sun god as a Great Cat vanquishing Apophis beneath the sacred Ished Tree. The cat could also embody the Eye of the Sun or, more often in Bastet’s case, the Eye of the Moon. Mummified cats were frequently dedicated as votive offerings, and some of their feline-shaped coffins were adorned with finely crafted bronze heads to enhance their divine likeness.
