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LOT 0463
Egyptian Diorite Heart Amulet
LATE PERIOD, 664-332 B.C.
1 1/4 in. (10.7 grams, 31 mm).
A large heart, ib, amulet of classic egg-form with shallow lugs on either side, with flared top and incised lines to one side.
ProvenanceFrom an early 20th century collection.
Ex London, UK, gallery.
From a private UK collection
This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
According to ancient Egyptian beliefs, the heart (ib) was considered the centre of intelligence, emotions, and behaviour. It was also believed to store an individual's memories. During the Weighing of the Heart ceremony in the afterlife, the heart could speak on behalf of the deceased and account for their lifetime of actions before Osiris. For this reason, heart amulets were placed on the mummy to safeguard the organ and ensure a favourable outcome during judgment.
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 Shabti Collection
Ptolemaic Period, 332-30 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £312
Comprising four mummiform shabtis with worn detail, three blue-glazed. 38.5 grams total, 60-65 mm
Acquired on the UK art market before 2000. Property of an Essex, UK, gentleman. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato. -
Egyptian Silver Poppy Amulet Group
Late-Ptolemaic Period, 664-30 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £143
Three pendants each with poppy-head and loop at the apex. 3.22 grams total, 16-18 mm
Ex London, UK, art market, 1990s. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
Amulets in the form of poppies were used to heal and alleviate pain and to ward off death. These types of amulets were also linked to Osiris, the Egyptian deity of agriculture, death, and the afterlife. -
Egyptian Bronze Cat Head with Incised Scarab
Late Period, 664-332 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £5,777
The head of goddess Bastet modelled in the round with alert ears and eyes, fine whisker detailing to the gently elongated muzzle, hair detailing to the inner edges of the ears and the lower outer edges pierced to accept separate earrings, incised scarab on the top of the head. 92.5 grams, 58 mm
Elizabeth Helene Demarest Osten Driesen (1892-1931). Given as a gift to her granddaughter, Lady Annabel Sutherland, by descent in the late 1960s. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.12762-237137. This lot has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database, and is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
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.
