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LOT 0021
Egyptian Djed Pillar Amulet
7TH-1ST CENTURY B.C.
6 3/4 in. (106 grams, 17 cm high).
A large finely-made wooden amuletic djed pillar; old collector's accession number 'E.436' to underside; mounted on a custom-made display stand.
Provenancewith ink inscribed 'E.436' to base.
Acquired in 1970.
Ex private European collection.
This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.11602-199041.
The djed pillar symbolises stability and is usually understood to be the spine of the god Ptah although its origins are more probably in cult practices involving sheaves of reeds which were revered due to the general absence of trees from the Egyptian landscape. The djed later came to be symbolise Seker, the falcon god of Memphis and Ptah, the Memphite god of craftsmen, who carried a sceptre formed as a combination of the djed and the ankh. The cult of Ptah waned and gave way to that of Osiris so that by the New Kingdom (16th century B.C.), the djed had become associated with Osiris, part of whose cult included a ceremony for raising the djed representing Osiris's triumph over Seth.
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AUCTIONS:
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LOT 0021
Egyptian Djed Pillar Amulet
Estimate £2,500 - 3,500€2,900 - 4,060 (for guidance only)$3,380 - 4,730 (for guidance only)
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Egyptian Silver Amulet of Horus-Ra in the Form of a Falcon
Late Period, 664-525 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £143
A silver amuletic pendant formed as a perching falcon with integral suspension loop. 3.47 grams, 18 mm high
London, UK, art market, 1980s. From the collection of G.M.R.H., London, UK. -
Egyptian Multi-Stranded Mummy Bead Necklace Collection
Late Period, 664-525 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £390
A group of three restrung faience mummy bead necklaces, each comprising multiple strands of polychrome beads including annular and tubular types. 84 grams total, 60-70 cm long
Acquired before 1979. From the private collection of Mr F. A., South Kensington, London, UK; thence by descent 2014. -
Egyptian Faience Ptah Amulet
Ptolemaic Period, 4th-3rd century B.C.Estimate: £1,200 - 1,700 (‡+bp*)
Opening Bid: £600
A blue-glazed faience amulet of the creator god Ptah in the form of the dwarf god Pataikos, modelled nude with stylised anatomical detailing, holding two knives to his stomach, squatting on an oval base; a scarab on the top of his cap; ribbed suspension loop to reverse; mounted on a custom-made display base. 29.6 grams total, 66 mm high including stand
Ex private French collection. with Thierry Maigret, Hotel Drouot, Paris, 12 July 2005, 76.
The Egyptian deity Pataikos is a special manifestation of the creator god Ptah, and the dwarf-like appearance symbolises his magical power. As a protective deity, amulets of Pataikos were worn for their apotropaic qualities; Pataikos was often depicted subjugating poisonous animals such as snakes and scorpions, and Pataikos amulets were probably worn to protect the wearer from such animals. Ptah was the god of Egypt's capital city Memphis and master craftsman of the gods, known for his benevolent and approachable character. Ptah is attested from the beginning of ancient Egypt’s dynastic history and was a creator god, a god of craftsmen, and the patron deity of the Memphite region. The principal temple of the god was located in the city of Memphis. The fragmentary back pillar on this statuette indicates that it was most probably a temple offering, originally inscribed with an invocation to Ptah together with the donor’s name. Such votive figurines with back pillars naming the god and the dedicator occur in various materials, including faience and stone.
