Egyptian Faience Mummy Bead Necklace

Mainly blue glass biconvex and spherical beads; with old collector's card erroneously dated 'Ancient Egyptian Necklace. XII Dynasty'. 18 grams, 24 cm long



From a 19th century English collection. Ex Helios Gallery, Worcestershire, UK, 2011. Ian Wilkinson collection, Nottinghamshire, UK, formed since 1985. Accompanied by an old handwritten identification card. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.

An elaborate amulet in bright blue faience, modelled on four sides: Side 1: a diminutive figure of Harpokrates holding a snake in each hand and standing on the back of a lion, below which is a stylised mummiform (?) figure with a nemes headdress and a broad ornamental collar; Side 2: a baboon seated upon a nebyt collar, below which is a standing naked female figure wearing a Hathoric wig; Side 3: a standing naked female figure with right arm hanging by her side and left arm bent at the elbow and forearm positioned beneath her breasts, wearing a composite wig with striated lappets and uraeus to the front, surmounted by two tall ostrich feathers fronted by a sun disc; Side 4: a standing naked female figure with right arm hanging by her side and left arm bent at the elbow and forearm positioned beneath her breasts, wearing a lappet wig and uraeus to the front, surmounted by a tall two-plumed headdress fronted by a sun disc; the figure of a falcon tops the composition, which stands on an integral plinth. 21 grams, 60 mm



Mr F.D. collection, acquired on the European art market, 1975 to present. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.

This highly unusual amulet contains elements associated with Horus cippi. On such objects, Horus is depicted as a naked child, usually holding snakes and standing on crocodiles, though other dangerous animals, such as lions, are also represented with him. The goddesses Isis and Nephthys are typically found on cippi, and two of the three female figures on this amulet may represent these goddesses. However, their headdresses are untypical of either deity, while the third female figure sports the Hathor wig.

With domed faces and grooved edge, a pair of loop handles to each shoulder, slender neck and wide mouth. 825 grams, 17.2 cm



Ex London art market 1990s. From a London, UK, collection. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.