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LOT 0531
Egyptian Cartonnage Section with Eye and Wing
THIRD INTERMEDIATE PERIOD, CIRCA 1069-860 B.C.
6 3/4 in. (48 grams, 17 cm).
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.
ProvenanceFormerly 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.
Cf. Sousa, R., "Yellow" Coffins from Thebes, BAR 3010, Oxford, 2020, p. 27, for the coffin of Heritubekhet with a similar feather design and colouring.
FootnotesThis 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.
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 and Hardstone Amulet Group
Late-Ptolemaic Period, 664-30 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £221
Including two wedjat eyes, a seated baboon, plumb bob, uraeus, scarab, falcon, recumbent lion, suckling sow (representing Nut), and a fringe-edged disc bead. 8.08 grams total, 9-18 mm
From an early 20th century collection. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato. -
Egyptian Stone Eye Inlay Pair
Ptolemaic Period, 332-30 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £208
White stone sclera with black stone iris, green stains visible on edges from copper rims. 10.5 grams total, 30-32 mm
Acquired on the UK art market, 1977-1979. Private collection, London. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
Egyptian coffin eye inlays were both decorative and symbolic, intended to make the coffin appear lifelike and assist the deceased in the afterlife. Typically, they featured a white sclera (glass, alabaster or quartz), a dark iris (glass or often obsidian), and sometimes red paint at the inner corner. The eyes were often set in bronze or copper frames, occasionally with faience or bronze eyebrows. -
Egyptian Bronze Ibis Attachment
Late Period, 664-332 B.C. or laterEstimate: £150 - 200 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £75
Modelled in the round squatting on an ellipsoid base, lug to the underside, repaired. 114 grams, 60 mm
From the collection of a gentleman, acquired on the London art market in the 1990s. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
The ibis, particularly the sacred species known as the Egyptian ibis (Threskiornis aethiopicus), held a prominent place in ancient Egyptian religion and culture as a manifestation of the god Thoth. Revered as the deity of wisdom, writing, and knowledge, Thoth was often depicted in human form with the head of an ibis. During the Late Period onwards, the practice of mummifying ibises became widespread, leading to the creation of vast necropolises dedicated to these sacred birds. In places like Saqqara and Hermopolis, thousands of ibis mummies have been discovered in specially constructed catacombs. The mummification of these birds was not merely a ritual act; it was seen as a sacred offering to Thoth, meant to honour the god and seek his favour. Egyptians believed that by preserving the ibis through mummification, they could ensure its safe passage to the afterlife, establishing a direct connection between the earthly realm and the divine. These mummies were often accompanied by votive offerings, like this bronze figurine, further emphasising the relationship between the ibises and Thoth.
