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_900x900.jpg "Egyptian Faience Horus Falcon Amulet")
_200x200.jpg "Egyptian Faience Horus Falcon Amulet")
.jpg "Egyptian Faience Horus Falcon Amulet")
LOT 0487
Egyptian Faience Horus Falcon Amulet
LATE PERIOD, 664-332 B.C.
3/8 in. (1.08 grams, 17 mm).
Seated falcon with impressed detailing to wings and head; rectangular base and suspension loop on the back.
ProvenanceEx early 20th century collection, London, UK.
LiteratureCf. Andrews, C., Amulets of Ancient Egypt, London, 1994, p. 28, fig. 25a, for an amulet with a decorated head and wings.
FootnotesHorus is one of the most significant and widely worshipped gods in ancient Egyptian mythology. His importance spans multiple facets of Egyptian religion, including kingship, protection, the sky, and the sun. Depicted in various human and animal forms, Horus played a vital role in Egyptian cosmology, particularly as the Pharaoh's protector and as a symbol of divine authority.
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 Amulet Group
New Kingdom-Ptolemaic Period, 1550-30 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £156
Comprising a large standing Bes statuette on a rectangular base and a smaller Bes pierced for suspension; four scarabs with detailing to the upper face and incised signs and motifs on the underside; a tear-shaped bunch of grapes with a broken suspension loop; a lozenge-shaped pierced for suspension. 11 grams total, 9-38 mm
From the Walter Thomas Gaze Cooper (1895-1980) collection; thence by descent. -
Egyptian Silver Fly Amulet
Late Period, 664-332 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £260
With detailing to wings and eyes, loop for suspension above the head. 2.15 grams, 24 mm
From the collection of a London, UK, gentleman, 1990s.
Considering that Egyptian artists often depicted fly whisks in the hands of pharaohs and high officials, one might assume that flies were merely a nuisance. However, the Egyptians held flies in high regard for their speed, quick reactions, and persistence. Small fly amulets first appeared in burials during the Naqada II Period, around 3200 B.C. These amulets gained popularity and were crafted from various materials such as gold, silver, lapis lazuli, carnelian, amethyst, faience, and bone. These amulets were believed to protect against insect bites and to ward off troublesome flying creatures through apotropaic magic. Some believe they may have even symbolised the fly’s fecundity. Additionally, pharaohs would bestow gold fly-shaped pendants as military awards to honour the bravery and persistence of soldiers in battle. -
Egyptian Multi-Stranded Mummy Bead Necklace
Late Period, 664-332 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £234
Four-stranded designer necklace composed of polychrome beads of mainly disc and cylindrical types. 27 grams, 81 cm long
Acquired before 1979. From the private collection of Mr F.A., South Kensington, London, UK; thence by descent 2014.
For thousands of years, artisans in Egypt created vibrant ceramics to echo the beauty of rare jewels. These ornaments were created with almost every material, colour, and texture imaginable, and they come from across Egypt and beyond: vibrant blue lapis lazuli from Afghanistan, glossy black obsidian from Turkey, and aqua-green turquoise from the Sinai. They were worn in life and, after death, they served as precious ornamentation for mummies.
