Loading, please wait...
Details
LOT 0488
Egyptian Black Stone Head of a Female
MIDDLE KINGDOM, LATE 12TH DYNASTY, 1862-1787 B.C.
3 3/4 in. (1.1 kg, 94 mm).
Carved in the round head with almond-shaped eyes and copious hair, detailed ears; jawline, neck and cheeks abraded.
Provenance
Acquired in the mid 1980s-1990s.
Private collection, Switzerland, thence by descent.
Private collection, since the late 1990s.
This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
Literature
Cf. Bourriau, J., Pharaohs and Mortals: Egyptian art in the Middle Kingdom, Cambridge, 1988, p.49, no.38, for a portrait of a female head with similar features.
Footnotes
The nearly spherical shape suggests that the head was repurposed as a pounder.
CONDITIONVETTING:
TimeLine 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.
RELATED LOTS
-
Egyptian Bronze Cobra Mount
Late Period, 6th century B.C.Estimate: £800 - 1,000 (‡+bp*)
Opening Bid: £400
Cobra-shaped mount with head raised and hood expanded, two mounting studs to the reverse; mounted on a custom-made stand. 182 grams, 22 cm
Private Israeli collection. Ex Archaeological Center, Tel Aviv, Israel, 2015. Private European collection. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
The mount quite possibly adorned the Atef crown of a statue of Osiris. -
Coptic Textile Section with Figures and Animals
4th-6th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £338
Rectangular panel of woven fabric with borders of discs each with a lion passant, midian band with standing human figures and regardant beasts between; mounted in a glazed frame. 577 grams total, 30.5 x 23 cm
Acquired in the late 1980s-early 1990s. 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 Gold Fly Amulet
Late Period, 664-332 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £650
With hatched detailing to the body and wings. 1.62 grams, 17 mm
From the collection of a gentleman, acquired on the London art market in the 1990s. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
Considering that Egyptian artists often depicted fly whisks in the hands of pharaohs and high officials, one might assume that flies were merely a nuisance. However, the Egyptians held flies in high regard for their speed, quick reactions, and persistence. Small fly amulets first appeared in burials during the Naqada II Period, around 3200 B.C. These amulets gained popularity, and the materials used to make them varied during the New Kingdom. They were crafted from various materials such as gold, silver, lapis lazuli, carnelian, amethyst, faience, and bone. These amulets were believed to protect against insect bites and to ward off troublesome flying creatures through apotropaic magic. Some believe they may have even symbolised the fly’s fecundity. Additionally, pharaohs would bestow gold fly-shaped pendants as military awards to honour the bravery and persistence of soldiers in battle.