Egyptian Faience Mummy Bead Mask with Netting

Multi-stranded restrung composition necklace composed of beads of mainly annular and tubular types. 27 grams, 66 cm



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.

Carved with soft facial features and carefully executed cosmetic lines around the eye, earring, and carefully detailed duplex wig with gently wavy curls; likely from the Ramesside Period; mounted on a custom-made stand. 4.23 kg total, 20 cm including stand



Private collection, France. with Christie’s, New York, 18 December 1996, no.60. Acquired by the present owner from the above. Accompanied by an academic report by Egyptologist Paul Whelan. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.12202-222169.

The shape of the eyes, raised upper and lower cosmetic lines, brows, and mouth on the TimeLine head present a similar countenance to that of the cube statue of Hori, dated to the reign of Ramesses II, now in the Musée du Louvre (inv. no. Louvre E11275). An even closer parallel can be seen in another non-royal statue of Paaha in the British Museum (inv. no. EA 501).

Sheet-gold repoussé mount with S-curved serpentine body, ovoid head; edges recurved. 0.87 grams, 21 mm



From an old UK collection, 1980s.