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LOT 0523
Egyptian Faience Shabti Collection
PTOLEMAIC PERIOD, 332-30 B.C.
1 3/4 - 2 3/8 in. (22.7 grams total, 44-60 mm).
Comprising four mummiform figures with tripartite wigs and divine beards. [4, No Reserve]
ProvenanceEx H Norri collection, Milton Keynes, Bedfordshire, UK, 1980s-1990s.
LiteratureCf. Janes, G., The Shabti Collections 6: A Selection from the World Museum, Liverpool, Lymm, 2016, p. 519, no. 273, for fifteen similar examples from Abydos.
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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Phoenicio-Egyptian Orange Stone Scaraboid
1st millennium B.C.Estimate: £350 - 450 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £194
Ellipsoid in plan with frieze comprising a large Maat feather, a winged sun disc, and a winged Khepri beetle. 13 grams, 27 mm
Ex collection of the late Mr S. M., London, UK, 1970-1990s. -
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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 Ibis Attachment
Late Period, 664-332 B.C. or laterSold for (Inc. bp): £156
Modelled in the round squatting on an ellipsoid base, lug to the underside, repaired. 114 grams, 60 mm
From the collection of a gentleman, acquired on the London art market in the 1990s.
The ibis, particularly the sacred species known as the Egyptian ibis (Threskiornis aethiopicus), held a prominent place in ancient Egyptian religion and culture as a manifestation of the god Thoth. Revered as the deity of wisdom, writing, and knowledge, Thoth was often depicted in human form with the head of an ibis. During the Late Period onwards, the practice of mummifying ibises became widespread, leading to the creation of vast necropolises dedicated to these sacred birds. In places like Saqqara and Hermopolis, thousands of ibis mummies have been discovered in specially constructed catacombs. The mummification of these birds was not merely a ritual act; it was seen as a sacred offering to Thoth, meant to honour the god and seek his favour. Egyptians believed that by preserving the ibis through mummification, they could ensure its safe passage to the afterlife, establishing a direct connection between the earthly realm and the divine. These mummies were often accompanied by votive offerings, like this bronze figurine, further emphasising the relationship between the ibises and Thoth.
