Loading, please wait...
LOT 0499
Egyptian Faience Eye of Horus
LATE NEW KINGDOM, CIRCA 1300-1075 B.C.
3/4 in. (0.78 grams, 21 mm).
Openwork wedjat eye pendant with suspension loop above and slender frame.
ProvenanceAcquired 1970s onwards.
Private collection of Michael O'Hara, Cambridgeshire, UK.
Cf. Kalloniatis, F., The Egyptian Collection at Norwich Castle Museum, Oxford, 2019, pl.17 no.117, for a similar openwork example.
FootnotesThe wedjat eye amulet symbolised the eye of the falcon god Horus. According to ancient Egyptian mythology, Horus’ eye was gouged out by his treacherous uncle Seth and then healed by Thoth. While these amulets could be worn for protection in daily life, they also played a significant role in the funerary sphere. Wedjat eye amulets were believed to offer protection to the deceased’s mummy and could serve as substitutes for daily food offerings.
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:
TimeLine is a leading auction house specialising in antiquities, ancient art, collectables, natural history, coins, medals, and books. Our auctions offer museums, collectors, historians, and enthusiasts the opportunity to acquire unique and historically significant pieces.
-
Egyptian Faience Beaded Sons of Horus Panel
Ptolemaic Period, 332-30 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £130
Openwork restrung panel depicting Imsety, Hapy, Duamutef, and Qebehsenuef, the Four Sons of Horus with a winged scarab above; restrung. 21.4 grams, 12 cm
Ex Mariaud de Serres, Paris, France, 1990s. From a London, UK, collection.
Winged scarabs were often used as funerary amulets and believed to symbolise the deceased's rebirth and regeneration. The Four Sons of Horus were deities responsible for protecting the deceased's internal organs. Here, on the left, is the erect-eared jackal-headed Duamutef, who protects the stomach. Next is the falcon-headed Qebehsenuef, who protects the intestines. Then comes the human-headed Imsety, protector of the liver, and finally, the baboon-headed Hapy on the right, protector of the lungs. -
Egyptian Gold Winged Plaque
1st millennium B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £208
Rectangular foil plaque with repoussé design of a winged scarab; edges pierced for attachment. 0.47 grams, 22 mm
From the collection of a gentleman, acquired on the London art market in the 1990s. -
Egyptian Gold Uraeus Appliqué
Late Period, 664-332 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £195
Sheet-gold repoussé mount with S-curved serpentine body, ovoid head; edges recurved. 0.87 grams, 21 mm
From an old UK collection, 1980s.