Egyptian Carnelian Frog Amulet

Sub-rectangular in plan with irregular and fragmented edge; prepared plaster surface featuring a line-bordered column with four cursive hieroglyphs naming Behedet (bḥdt); a section of finely painted outstretched wing with feather detailing to lower edge in red and blue; below, a wedjat eye in black with red medial band; fabric back to reverse. 48 grams, 17 cm



Formerly from an old collection of a Wiltshire, UK, collector, acquired before 1980. Property of a private collector, West London, UK. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

This fragment most likely originates from the lower chest section of a so-called anthropoid 'yellow coffin' from the Third Intermediate Period. The wing belongs to a protective deity; as Behedet is a name given to several locations (Edfu, Tell el-Balamun, and Lepidotonpolis) associated with Horus, it seems probable that the wing belongs to the falcon form of this god.

With hieroglyphic inscription, restrung pair of red stone beads, old handwritten label '1633'; accompanied by a copy of an old scholarly note, typed and signed by W.G. Lambert, late Professor of Assyriology, University of Birmingham, 1970-1993, which states: 'Cylinder Seal of Soft Black Stone, 15 x 13.5 mm. Between upper and lower rules five Egyptian hieroglyphs are engraved skillfully. The bird is 'akh', "soul", the following house, hand and wavey line, are probably a personal name Deneh or Dehen, and the remaining sign consisting of three trees or plants may be a title. This is an old Egyptian cylinder seal from the Second Dynasty, c. 2900 B.C., and the inscriptions are still in the process of being deciphered. The occurrence of "soul" suggests mortuary use, but the Egyptians made preparations for such things during life, so the owner may well have had this object during his life. It is in fine state of preservation.'; accompanied by a museum-quality impression. 6.5 grams, 14 mm



UK private collection, acquired 1980-1983. Accompanied by a copy of a scholarly note, typed and signed by Professor Wilfrid George Lambert in 1992. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

Cylinder seals are typically engraved, cylindrical stone objects designed to be rolled over clay, leaving impressions of images and often text carved in reverse. In Egypt, they appeared early in the historical record, likely due to Mesopotamian influence, with the more familiar button and stamp seals becoming prevalent later, particularly during the First Intermediate Period.

With gently curved obverse and flat reverse, section of an inlay depicting Anubis, with thick neck and beginning of extended foreleg. 110 grams, 96 mm



Acquired on the French art market, 1980s. with Bonhams, London, 13 April 2011, lot 21. Accompanied by copies of the relevant Bonhams catalogue pages. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

This coloured glass inlay depicts Anubis, the jackal-headed god of mummification and protector of the dead. Likely part of a coffin or shrine, it demonstrates the use of glass to imitate precious materials in elite funerary art. The figure’s profile and predominantly black colour evoke Anubis’s role in preservation and the afterlife.