Loading, please wait...
Details
LOT 0456
Egyptian Carnelian Cat Amulet
PTOLEMAIC PERIOD, 332-30 B.C. OR LATER
1/2 in. (1.82 grams, 16 mm).
Amuletic pendant of the cat goddess Bastet, sitting on a rectangular base, suspension loop behind the shoulders. [No Reserve]
Provenance
Acquired 1990s.
Property of a Staffordshire lady collector.
Ex Quercus of Quonians, Lichfield, UK, 2018.
Property of a Sussex, UK, teacher.
Private collection, London.
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, pp. 32-33, for discussion, and figs. 28f, 29d for examples of small cat amulets in stone and faience.
Footnotes
The cat was sacred to Bastet, a protective mother goddess and the daughter of the sun god Re. Amulets provided the wearer with the goddess's protection.
Her name means ‘she of the bast [ointment jar],’ which may have contained a substance favoured by or exclusive to royalty. Originally, Bastet was depicted as a woman with the head of a lioness, but by the late New Kingdom, she was typically depicted with a cat's head. She is sometimes shown with kittens, emphasising her maternal role as a fierce protector of offspring.
VETTING:
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
-
.jpg)
Egyptian Faience Duck Amulet
Third Intermediate-Late Period, 750-332 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £572
Modelled in the round, the head placed resting along the spine, loop formed by the neck; underside with hieroglyphic text. 1.18 grams, 15 mm
Old private French collection. Anonymous sale, Beaussant Lefevre, Paris, 2015. Private European collection, acquired in 2015. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato. -
Egyptian Carnelian Cat Amulet
Ptolemaic Period, 332-30 B.C. or laterSold for (Inc. bp): £286
Amuletic pendant of the cat goddess Bastet, sitting on a rectangular base, suspension loop behind the shoulders. 1.82 grams, 16 mm
Acquired 1990s. Property of a Staffordshire lady collector. Ex Quercus of Quonians, Lichfield, UK, 2018. Property of a Sussex, UK, teacher. Private collection, London. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
The cat was sacred to Bastet, a protective mother goddess and the daughter of the sun god Re. Amulets provided the wearer with the goddess's protection. Her name means ‘she of the bast [ointment jar],’ which may have contained a substance favoured by or exclusive to royalty. Originally, Bastet was depicted as a woman with the head of a lioness, but by the late New Kingdom, she was typically depicted with a cat's head. She is sometimes shown with kittens, emphasising her maternal role as a fierce protector of offspring. -
Large Egyptian Steatite Scarab with Bes and Cartouches of Thutmose III
Late Period, 664-332 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £390
With segmented carapace, detailed legs and mouth, incuse image of Bes with plumed headdress to underside flanked by two cartouches, each bearing the throne name of Thutmose III (Men-kheper-Re); chipped. 26.3 grams, 39 mm
Ex London, UK, gentleman's collection, 1990s. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
The royal name is incorrectly written, containing two sun discs rather than one, suggesting it may be of Levantine manufacture. Thutmose III, a dynamic New Kingdom pharaoh celebrated centuries after his death, frequently appears on scarabs during the Late Period. From the New Kingdom onwards, Bes became one of ancient Egypt's most popular apotropaic deities. Despite his fearsome appearance, Bes served as the patron and protector of pregnant women and children, and was also believed to shield them from snakes. The combination of Thutmose III and Bes harnessed both royal and divine protection.
