Details

LOT 0461

Egyptian Bronze Ibis Attachment

LATE PERIOD, 664-332 B.C. OR LATER

2 3/8 in. (114 grams, 60 mm).

Modelled in the round squatting on an ellipsoid base, lug to the underside, repaired.

Provenance

From the collection of a gentleman, acquired on the London art market in the 1990s.

Literature

Cf. Roeder, G., Ägyptische Bronzefiguren II, Berlin, 1956, pls.57f, 58a, for similar low-squatting examples.

Footnotes

The ibis, particularly the sacred species known as the Egyptian ibis (Threskiornis aethiopicus), held a prominent place in ancient Egyptian religion and culture as a manifestation of the god Thoth. Revered as the deity of wisdom, writing, and knowledge, Thoth was often depicted in human form with the head of an ibis.
During the Late Period onwards, the practice of mummifying ibises became widespread, leading to the creation of vast necropolises dedicated to these sacred birds. In places like Saqqara and Hermopolis, thousands of ibis mummies have been discovered in specially constructed catacombs. The mummification of these birds was not merely a ritual act; it was seen as a sacred offering to Thoth, meant to honour the god and seek his favour. Egyptians believed that by preserving the ibis through mummification, they could ensure its safe passage to the afterlife, establishing a direct connection between the earthly realm and the divine. These mummies were often accompanied by votive offerings, like this bronze figurine, further emphasising the relationship between the ibises and Thoth.