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LOT 0497
Egyptian Faience Nephthys Amulet
LATE PERIOD, 664-332 B.C.
1 1/4 in. (1.68 grams, 34 mm).
Standing figure of the goddess, wearing a striated lappet wig topped by her characteristic headdress, with her arms at her sides; supported by a dorsal pillar pierced once for suspension.
ProvenanceEx early 20th century collection, London, UK.
LiteratureCf. Loffet, H.C., Collections égyptiennes du Museum Emmanuel Liais de Cherbourg Octeville, Paris, 2007, p. 58, no. 61, for a similar example.
FootnotesThis amulet represents Nephthys (Egyptian: Nebet-Hut), a protective goddess closely associated with mourning, magic, and the afterlife. Often depicted as a woman with her name in hieroglyphs atop her head, Nephthys is Isis’s sister and, together with Isis, plays a central role in the funerary rites of Osiris.
Amulets of Nephthys were often worn or placed among the deceased’s wrappings to invoke her protective role during the journey to the afterlife. As a divine mourner, Nephthys was believed to guard the dead and assist in their rebirth, making her amulet a symbol of divine protection, sacred lamentation, and renewal.
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Egyptian Faience Menat Amulet
Late Period, 664-332 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £286
Amuletic pendant formed as keyhole-shaped plaque with decorative column to one face, ribbed suspension loop to the top. 1.52 grams, 25 mm
Ex early 20th century collection, London, UK.
The menat was a counterpoise that hung at the back of a heavy ornamental collar and was closely associated with the goddess Hathor. Amulets representing the counterpoise were thought to bring good luck, protect against evil spirits, and safeguard the wearer in the afterlife. Their Hathoric connection symbolised fertility and good health for women while representing virility for men. -
Egyptian Bronze Seated Harpocrates
Late Period, 664-332 B.C.Estimate: £900 - 1,200 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £475
Substantial cast figurine modelled in the round of Harpocrates sitting with hands on his thighs, double crown and sidelock. 389 grams, 16.2 cm
From the collection of a gentleman, acquired on the London art market in the 1990s.
Harpocrates is the Greek rendering of the Egyptian Hor-pa-khered, which means ‘Horus the Child’. This name refers to Horus as the divine infant of Isis and Osiris. Wearing an amulet of Harpocrates was believed to give the wearer the same protection that Isis offered to her beloved son. Larger bronze statuettes probably served as votive offerings to Harpocrates to secure his favour and protection. -
Egyptian Blue Glazed Faience Shabti
Ptolemaic Period, circa 305-30 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £715
Characteristic mummiform figure wearing a tripartite wig and a false beard, with a seed-bag suspended over the shoulder, a plain dorsal column, and with arms crossed and hands holding agricultural tools. 72 grams, 12.5 cm
From the collection of a late Tavistock, Devon, UK, gentleman, formed from the 1990s. Accompanied by an old handwritten date note on British Museum, Department of Egyptian Antiquities headed paper, where the second part relates to this item.
