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LOT 0485
Egyptian Carnelian Fly Amulet
LATE PERIOD, 664-332 B.C.
5/8 in. (0.33 grams, 12 mm).
With detailing to wings and body, loop for suspension above the head. [No Reserve]
ProvenanceEx H Norri collection, Milton Keynes, Bedfordshire, UK, 1980s-1990s.
FootnotesAlthough flies might seem like mere nuisances, the ancient Egyptians admired them for their speed, agility, and persistence. Fly-shaped amulets, first appearing in Naqada II burials around 3200 B.C., became particularly popular during the New Kingdom and afterwards. Made from materials such as gold, silver, faience, lapis lazuli, and bone, they served apotropaic functions, protecting against bites and warding off pests. Some may have also symbolised fertility. Gold fly pendants were even awarded by pharaohs to honour soldiers’ bravery and tenacity.
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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Egyptian Bronze Seated Harpocrates
Late Period, 664-332 B.C.Estimate: £900 - 1,200 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £475
Substantial cast figurine modelled in the round of Harpocrates sitting with hands on his thighs, double crown and sidelock. 389 grams, 16.2 cm
From the collection of a gentleman, acquired on the London art market in the 1990s.
Harpocrates is the Greek rendering of the Egyptian Hor-pa-khered, which means ‘Horus the Child’. This name refers to Horus as the divine infant of Isis and Osiris. Wearing an amulet of Harpocrates was believed to give the wearer the same protection that Isis offered to her beloved son. Larger bronze statuettes probably served as votive offerings to Harpocrates to secure his favour and protection. -
Egyptian Light Blue Faience Shabti
Ptolemaic Period, 332-30 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £98
Mummiform figure with a lappet wig and divine beard. 10.77 grams, 64 mm
Ex private collection, London, UK, 1970s-1990s. -
Romano-Egyptian Haematite Scarab with Gnostic Figure
3rd century A.D.Estimate: £600 - 800 (‡+bp*)
Opening Bid: £333
With scene to underside of a winged figure advancing. 6.52 grams, 17 mm
Acquired in the mid 1980s-1990s. Private collection, Switzerland, thence by descent. Private collection, since the late 1990s.
