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LOT 0452
Egyptian Carnelian Fly Amulet
LATE PERIOD, 664-332 B.C.
3/8 in. (0.37 grams, 12 mm).
Carved with ribbed body and eye detailing; drilled through the eyes for suspension. [No Reserve]
ProvenanceFrom the private collection of H. Norry, 1980s-1990s.
LiteratureCf. Andrews, C., Amulets of Ancient Egypt, London, 1994, pp.62-3.
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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Large Egyptian Blue Glazed Hieroglyphic Shabti
26th Dynasty, 664-525 B.C.Estimate: £1,500 - 2,000 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £700
Of mummiform type, wearing a tripartite wig and long plaited divine beard, with arms crossed and the left hand holding a pick, the right hand holding a hoe and the cord of a seed bag hanging over his left shoulder; with carefully rendered cosmetic lines around the eyes, narrow eyebrows, and slightly smiling lips giving it a serene expression characteristic of the finest ushabtis of the period; standing on an integral plinth from which a plain back pillar terminating at the base of the wig extends; nine horizontal rows of hieroglyphic inscription, the Sixth Chapter of the Book of the Dead; water worn. 246 grams, 19 cm
Acquired on the German art market, 1989-1995. with The Museum Gallery, 19 Bury Place, London, WC1, UK, 1998-2003. Property of a London based academic, 2003-present.
Shabti figures could serve as a representation of the deceased and paradoxically also as their servant to carry out arduous manual tasks in the afterlife on behalf of their master. Late Period shabtis were most frequently made of faience, such as this example. The body of a shabti was usually in the form of a mummy from the neck down, depicted with agricultural tools in their hands, such as picks, hoes, and baskets. Chapter 6 from the Book of the Dead, lists the tasks expected of the magical figure. By the Late Period, hundreds of shabtis were often provided for the burial. -
Egyptian Faience Scarab with Hieroglyphs
Late Period, 664-332 B.C.Estimate: £200 - 300 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £100
Blue glazed faience scarab beetle, with detailed features; the underside decorated with a recumbent jackal above a seated figure in an attitude of praise before two hieroglyphs. 4.18 grams, 23 mm
From the collection of a gentleman, acquired on the London art market in the 1990s. -
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Egyptian Blue Glazed Faience Figure of Pataikos
Saite Period, 26th Dynasty, 664-545 B.C.Estimate: £500 - 700 (‡+bp*)
Opening Bid: £250
Wearing a broad collar and a stylised scarab on top of the head, elongated arms resting on the lower part of his protruding abdomen. 10.8 grams, 43 mm
Acquired in the mid 1980s-1990s. Private collection, Switzerland, thence by descent. Private collection, since the late 1990s.
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.
