Print page | Email lot to a friend
Back to previous pageLOT 0012
Sold for (Inc. bp): £572
LATE PERIOD-PTOLEMAIC PERIOD, 664-30 B.C.
5 in. (377 grams total, 12.5 cm high including stand).
Standing before an enigmatic balloon-like object on a rectangular base with two supports flanking a short shank; mounted on a custom-made stand.
PROVENANCE:
Believed to have been collected (1899-1914) and in an early 20th century collection, with some references to Psamtik I, and a German funded expedition.
Ex Ludwig Borchardt, Heliop.
Private collection of Mr T.H., Norfolk, UK.
Accompanied by a handwritten note from Ludwig Borchardt.
LITERATURE:
Cf. Tiribilli, E., The bronze figurines of the Petrie Museum from 2000 BC to AD 400, GHP Egyptology 28, London, 2018, p.184, cat.no.259, for a less elaborate Wepwawet standard terminal.
FOOTNOTES:
Wepwawet, the canine god, is strongly linked with Abydos and kingship. His name means 'Opener of the Ways' and may have had military connotations as someone who clears the path for his king. In funerary texts, Wepwawet guided the dead through the Underworld. The image of the god on a standard, as seen in this example, was carried in processions associated with Osiris and kingship. The balloon-like object, known as shed-shed, is mysterious but may have symbolised the royal placenta, which was considered the king's 'double'.
TimeLine Auctions follows a rigorous 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.
