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LOT 0011
Egyptian Bronze Cat Head with Incised Scarab
LATE PERIOD, 664-332 B.C.
2 1/4 in. (92.5 grams, 58 mm).
The head of goddess Bastet modelled in the round with alert ears and eyes, fine whisker detailing to the gently elongated muzzle, hair detailing to the inner edges of the ears and the lower outer edges pierced to accept separate earrings, incised scarab on the top of the head.
ProvenanceElizabeth Helene Demarest Osten Driesen (1892-1931).
Given as a gift to her granddaughter, Lady Annabel Sutherland, by descent in the late 1960s.
This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.12762-237137.
This lot has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database, and is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
Cf. Berlev, O. and Hodjash, S., Catalogue of Monuments of Ancient Egypt: From the Museums of the Russian Federation, Ukraine, Bielorussia, Caucasus, Middle Asia and the Baltic States, Orbis Biblicus et Orientalis 17, Fribourg/Göttingen, 1998, pl. 90 VI.34, for a similar example; Waziry, M., Vestiges of Ancient Egypt: The Bubasteion Votive Cachette at Saqqara, Houston, 2023, p. 68, no. 19, for a recently excavated wooden cat coffin with a bronze head still in place.
FootnotesIn 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.
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:
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Historic Collection of 969 Slides of Archaeological Sites in Egypt
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Property of archaeologist Stephanie Gee, N.W. London, UK, 1960s-1980s. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
Stephanie Gee was a prominent archaeologist who took part in several expeditions in Egypt. She was a trusted assistant to the British-Australian archaeologist Veronica Seton-Williams, who excavated in Egypt, Britain, and the Near East. Stephanie also took part in the Tell El-Farâ'în expeditions of 1965-1968, and assisted Seton-Williams with preparing the 1966 expedition report. Their collaboration continued and Stephanie helped with the manuscript of Seton-Williams’ book ‘The Road to El-Aguzein’, a narrative account of her life that was first published in 1988. -
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Gentle trapezoidal plinth with modelled depictions of two long-tailed lizards on the top; four evenly spaced holes pierce the plinth for attachment. 12 grams, 54 mm
From a UK dealer since the 1970s. From an old London, UK, collection since circa 1985. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
The lizard was the animal manifestation of the creator god Atum. His sun-god aspect is embodied in the lizard's need to bask in sunshine. -
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Throughout ancient Egyptian mythology, lion-headed goddesses played a significant role in the religious beliefs of the people. These goddesses, including Sekhmet, Wadjet, and Bastet, were revered as powerful and fierce protectors. Their presence was believed to ward off evil and safeguard the people from harm.
