Loading, please wait...
Details
LOT 0411
Egyptian Blue Glazed Faience Figure of Pataikos
SAITE PERIOD, 26TH DYNASTY, 664-545 B.C.
1 3/4 in. (10.8 grams, 43 mm).
Wearing a broad collar and a stylised scarab on top of the head, elongated arms resting on the lower part of his protruding abdomen.
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. Andrews, C., Amulets of Ancient Egypt, London, 1994, p.39, pl.36b, for a similar example.
Footnotes
Herodotus mentions Pataikos as a dwarf-like representation of Ptah, although the ancient Egyptian name of the god remains unclear. These diminutive amulets symbolise Ptah’s immense magical power, which served to protect the wearer from dangerous creatures such as snakes and crocodiles. The role of the deity in the funerary sphere is explained in Spell 164 of the Book of the Dead, where a Pataikos is used to protect the deceased's heart from enemy attacks and the putrefaction of the body.
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 Gold Fly Amulet
Late Period, 664-332 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £780
Chevron-shaped pendant with incised detailing to the body and wings. 1.76 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 due to their quick speed, reactions, and persistence. Small fly amulets first appeared in burials during the Naqada II Period, around 3200 B.C. These amulets grew in popularity, and the materials used to make them expanded during the New Kingdom. They are 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 been intended to symbolise the fly’s fecundity. Additionally, pharaohs would bestow gold, fly-shaped pendants as military awards to honour the bravery and fly-like persistence of soldiers in battle. -
Large Egyptian Faience Heart Scarab
Late Period, 664-332 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £169
Green-glazed with anatomical detailing, pierced through the outer edge. 48 grams, 73 mm
From an early 20th century collection London and Home counties, UK. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
The heart scarab served to protect the individual by silencing the heart so it would not testify against its owner. Many heart scarabs, especially those intended for elite burials, were mounted with outstretched wings—symbols of divine protection and rebirth. These wings echoed the iconography of protective deities like Isis and Nephthys, enhancing the amulet’s power to safeguard the soul on its journey to eternal life. The pierced holes on the side of this example were likely for the attachment of such wings. -
Egyptian Mixed Scarab Collection
Mostly Late Period, 664-332 B.C.Estimate: £500 - 700 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £250
Comprising: three faience scarabs with detailed bodies and hieroglyphs on the underside; one carnelian scarab with plain base; one scaraboid with hieroglyphs to the underside. 22.75 grams total, 15-28 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.
