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LOT 0558
Egyptian Coptic Textile Fragment Group
CIRCA 4TH-5TH CENTURY A.D.
5 7/8 - 6 1/4 in. (46 grams total including package, 15-16 cm).
Comprising: a fragment of a clavus of tunic in purple wool on linen, embroidered with vegetal motifs patterned inside orbiculi, framed by straight borders with external crenellation; a fragment of segmentum in yellow, green and red wool, S torsion, embroidered with floral and geometric patterns. [2, No Reserve]
ProvenanceAcquired 1970s-1996.
Property of a North American collector.
London collection, 2016.
Cf. Del Francia Barocas, L., Antinoe, Cent’anni dopo,catalogo della mostra, Firenze, Palazzo Medici Riccardi, 10 Luglio – 1 novembre 1998 p.83, for similar textiles.
FootnotesThe fragments are decorative parts of tunics. These are fabrics of great decorative finesse, with some elements displaying an unusual and extremely well-preserved color palette. The plant designs recall Iranian motifs.
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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Opening Bid: £40
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Egyptian Anhydrite Cosmetic Bowl
Middle Kingdom, circa 2040-1780 B.C.Estimate: £150 - 200 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £75
Conical in profile with rounded rim, narrow disc base; repaired; a rare stone. 33.68 grams, 39 mm
Ex William Ohly, 1883-1955. Ex Abbey Museum, Barnet, by descent.
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Egyptian Blue Faience Bastet Cat Amulet
New Kingdom, circa 1550-1070 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £715
Modelled seated on a tongue-shaped base, with simple facial detailing and suspension loop to the back. 3.25 grams, 28 mm
Ex London gallery and Belinda Elliston, a member of the Egyptian Exploration Society, 1940s onwards.
In ancient Egypt, the cat was venerated as the sacred animal of the goddess Bastet, whose principal cult centre was Bubastis in the Nile Delta. Although cats were once part of folk practice, their veneration as part of formal cults spread across Egypt during the Late Period. Bastet was closely linked to lion-headed goddesses like Sekhmet, Tefnut, and Pakhet, and the cat itself became associated with solar imagery: the Book of the Dead portrays the sun god as a Great Cat vanquishing Apophis beneath the sacred Ished Tree. The cat could also embody the Eye of the Sun or, more often in Bastet’s case, the Eye of the Moon. Mummified cats were frequently dedicated as votive offerings, and some of their feline-shaped coffins were adorned with finely crafted bronze heads to enhance their divine likeness.
