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LOT 0487
Egyptian Faience Scarab Wing Pair
LATE PERIOD, 664-332 B.C.
1 5/8 - 1 3/4 in. (15 grams total, 43-44 mm).
Each flat-section with a band of feathers within the border, two attachment holes. [2, No Reserve]
ProvenanceFrom the private collection of the late Julian Bird, UK, formed since the 1970s.
This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
Cf. Tinius, I., Altägypten in Braunschweig. Die Sammlungen des Herzog Anton Ulrich-Museums und des Städtischen Museums, Wiesbaden, 2011, p.170, no. 328, for a comparable faience wing.
FootnotesThese wings were once part of a central scarab amulet. Winged scarabs often served as funerary adornments and were believed to symbolise the rebirth and regeneration of the deceased.
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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Large Egyptian Faience Heart Scarab
Late Period, 664-332 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £169
Green-glazed with anatomical detailing, pierced through the outer edge. 48 grams, 73 mm
From an early 20th century collection London and Home counties, UK. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
The heart scarab served to protect the individual by silencing the heart so it would not testify against its owner. Many heart scarabs, especially those intended for elite burials, were mounted with outstretched wings—symbols of divine protection and rebirth. These wings echoed the iconography of protective deities like Isis and Nephthys, enhancing the amulet’s power to safeguard the soul on its journey to eternal life. The pierced holes on the side of this example were likely for the attachment of such wings. -
Egyptian Limestone Floral Inlay Group
Roman Period, 30 B.C.-323 A.D. or earlierSold for (Inc. bp): £104
Group of cylindrical and discoid inlay plaques or gaming counters, crinoids with cinquefoil motif. 48.8 grams total, 12-20 mm
From a central London ADA dealership, 1980-1990. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
Flowers were symbolic of rebirth due to the daily reopening of their petals after nightfall. As a result, they were widely used in domestic settings, religious and funerary contexts, and as adornments. Similar rosette discs, like those recovered from the Ramesside Period palace at Qantir, were used as decorative elements in royal palaces. -
Historic Collection of 561 Slides of Archaeological Objects From Egypt
1960s-1980s A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £702
Housed in five linen-covered boxes, covering objects from the Old Kingdom, royal sculpture, general sculpture, and amulets, etc. 3.78 kg total, 26.5 x 16.5 x 6.5 cm each box
Property of archaeologist Stephanie Gee, N.W. London, UK, 1960s-1980s. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
Stephanie Gee was a prominent archaeologist who took part in several expeditions in Egypt. She was a trusted assistant to the British-Australian archaeologist Veronica Seton-Williams, who excavated in Egypt, Britain, and the Near East. Stephanie also took part in the Tell El-Farâ'în expeditions of 1965-1968, and assisted Seton-Williams with preparing the 1966 expedition report. Their collaboration continued and Stephanie helped with the manuscript of Seton-Williams’ book ‘The Road to El-Aguzein’, a narrative account of her life that was first published in 1988.
