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LOT 0457
Egyptian Carnelian Scarab
NEW KINGDOM-LATE PERIOD, 1550-332 B.C.
3/4 in. (3.07 grams, 19 mm).
A finely carved carnelian scarab (Scarabaeus sacer) modelled naturalistically in the round with anatomical detailing to the carapace, head, legs and underside of the body; slightly domed profile; drilled laterally to the underside of the body for suspension.
ProvenanceFrom an early 20th century Home Counties collection.
This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.114474-196152.
Cf. The Johns Hopkins Archaeological Museum, accession number 3791, for a similar scarab dated to the Late Period.
FootnotesThe Egyptians saw the scarab as a symbol of renewal and rebirth. The beetle was associated with the sun god because scarabs roll large balls of dung in which to lay their eggs, a behavior that the Egyptians thought resembled the progression of the sun through the sky from east to west. Scarab amulets were used for their magical rejuvenating properties by both the living and the dead. The regenerative powers of scarabs such as the one offered here could be used by either the living or the dead for healing and protection. The striking red/orange colour of the carnelian stone used to produce this amulet strengthens its solar associations.
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 Faience Figure of Thoth
26th Dynasty, 664-525 B.C.Estimate: £4,000 - 6,000 (‡+bp*)
Opening Bid: £2,000
A pale green glazed composition figure of Thoth in ibis-head form, plain dorsal pillar, pleated kilt, tripartite wig; old collector's inked accession number 'E.1000' to the reverse; repaired. 44.7 grams, 88 mm high
Ex Roger Liechti collection, Geneva, Switzerland. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.11595-199013.
One of the most prominent of the ancient Egyptian gods, Thoth was associated with writing, magic and wisdom, and was credited with founding a number of branches of knowledge including law, religion and science. He is believed to have been self-created or grown from the seed of Horus from the forehead of Set. As the son of the gods of order and chaos, he was also the god of equilibrium. As such, he was considered a just and infallible judge. Worshipped from the Pre-Dynastic to the Ptolemaic Period, Thoth was one of the longest, continuously worshipped gods from any civilisation. Thoth's Egyptian name was Djehuty (also dhwty) meaning ‘He Who is Like the Ibis’, a sacred bird in ancient Egypt as well as a popular pet associated with wisdom. -
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Egyptian Alabaster Mummy Eye
Ptolemaic Period, 332-30 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £117
An alabaster mummy eye with slightly domed profile, black stone inlay representing the iris and pupil. 8.65 grams, 43 mm
Fine condition.
Property of a Staffordshire lady, 1980s. Acquired Litchfield, Staffordshire, UK. Property of a Sussex, UK, teacher. -
Egyptian and Other Faience and Hardstone Bead Collection
1st millennium B.C. and laterSold for (Inc. bp): £312
A mixed group of mainly composition, glass, shell and stone polychrome beads of various types and dates. 167 grams total, 2-26 mm
Acquired in the 1970s. Important European collection.
