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LOT 0023
Egyptian Black Stone Cylinder Seal Inscribed with Hieroglyphs for the Name Deneh
CIRCA 2900 B.C.
1/2 in. (6.5 grams, 14 mm).
With hieroglyphic inscription, restrung pair of red stone beads, old handwritten label '1633'; accompanied by a copy of an old scholarly note, typed and signed by W.G. Lambert, late Professor of Assyriology, University of Birmingham, 1970-1993, which states: 'Cylinder Seal of Soft Black Stone, 15 x 13.5 mm. Between upper and lower rules five Egyptian hieroglyphs are engraved skillfully. The bird is 'akh', "soul", the following house, hand and wavey line, are probably a personal name Deneh or Dehen, and the remaining sign consisting of three trees or plants may be a title. This is an old Egyptian cylinder seal from the Second Dynasty, c. 2900 B.C., and the inscriptions are still in the process of being deciphered. The occurrence of "soul" suggests mortuary use, but the Egyptians made preparations for such things during life, so the owner may well have had this object during his life. It is in fine state of preservation.'; accompanied by a museum-quality impression. [No Reserve]
ProvenanceUK private collection, acquired 1980-1983.
Accompanied by a copy of a scholarly note, typed and signed by Professor Wilfrid George Lambert in 1992.
This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
Cylinder seals are typically engraved, cylindrical stone objects designed to be rolled over clay, leaving impressions of images and often text carved in reverse. In Egypt, they appeared early in the historical record, likely due to Mesopotamian influence, with the more familiar button and stamp seals becoming prevalent later, particularly during the First Intermediate Period.
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AUCTIONS:
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LOT 0023
Egyptian Black Stone Cylinder Seal Inscribed with Hieroglyphs for the Name Deneh
Sold for (Inc. bp): £2,470
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Egyptian Faience Crouching Goddess Amulet
Ptolemaic Period, 332-30 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £65
Formed as a nude Aphrodite crouching on a square base, her hands raised to dress her hair; socket to reverse. 9.25 grams, 42 mm
Acquired on the UK art market during the late 20th century. From the private collection of David King (1940-2024), Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire, UK. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato. -
Egyptian Glass Eye Inlay Pair
Ptolemaic Period, 332-30 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £208
The sclera white and the iris black. 4.12 grams total, 27-29 mm
Acquired on the UK art market, 1977-1979. Private collection, London. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
Egyptian coffin eye inlays were both decorative and symbolic, intended to make the coffin appear lifelike and assist the deceased in the afterlife. Typically, they featured a white sclera (glass, travertine, alabaster or quartz), a dark iris (glass or often obsidian), and sometimes red paint at the inner corner. The eyes were often set in bronze or copper frames, occasionally with faience or bronze eyebrows. -
Egyptian Steatite Heart Scarab
Late Period, 664-332 B.C.Estimate: £150 - 200 (‡+bp*)
Opening Bid: £75
With ribbed carapace and suspension loop to underside. 2.89 grams, 22 mm
Acquired on the European art market in the early 2000s. with Galerie Rhéa, Zurich, Switzerland. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
