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LOT 0018
Egyptian Glazed Steatite Amulet of Bastet
LATE PERIOD, CIRCA 664-332 B.C.
1 1/2 in. (3.75 grams, 38 mm).
Modelled in advancing pose wearing a tight-fitting robe, cat-headed, with a sistrum in one hand and a Bes head emblem in the other; suspension loop between shoulders.
ProvenanceFrançois de Ricqlès, Paris, Archéologie, 30 September-1 October 1996, no.332.
Private collection, London, UK, acquired from the above sale.
Accompanied by a copy of a French cultural passport, dated 2 October 1996.
This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
Bastet is typically depicted with the head of a lioness or domestic cat. The cat symbolises protection, motherhood, and, later, gentleness and domesticity, qualities associated with Bastet, especially in her later evolution from a fierce lioness to a more benevolent feline goddess. The sistrum she holds is a ritual musical instrument associated with Hathor and other birth goddesses and is linked to joy, music, and divine protection. Bastet was often invoked during music and dance ceremonies, and the sistrum reinforces her role in celebration and protection. Bes was a dwarf god known for guarding households, particularly mothers and children. His image on Bastet’s amulet emphasises her protective role, especially at home and during childbirth.
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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Egyptian Bronze Statuette of Isis Seated with Young Horus
Late-Ptolemaic Period, 664-30 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £130
Isis enthroned wearing a cow's horn headdress with a solar disc, suckling the infant Horus on her lap. 39 grams, 10.7 cm
From the property of a lady since the early to mid 20th century. From the private collection of Mr M.L. since circa 2005. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
In ancient Egyptian mythology, Isis was the sister-wife of Osiris and the mother of the sky god Horus. She is associated with aspects of fertility and motherhood and is often depicted in various artworks seated in a nursing pose with her son Horus on her lap, as here. -
Romano-Egyptian Faience Melon Bead Collection
2nd-1st century B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £33
Comprising thirty green and blue beads in various sizes. 42 grams total, 8-18 mm
Ex H. Norry collection, Milton Keynes, UK, 1980s-1990s. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato. -
Egyptian Green Glazed Faience Figure of Somtous
Late Period, circa 664-332 B.C.Estimate: £1,000 - 1,400 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £500
Modelled in the round, the nude seated figure of the child Somtous, with one hand to his lips and a prominent sidelock, emerging from a lotus flower; mounted on a custom-made stand. 39.7 grams total, 68 mm including stand
with Noriuchi Horiuchi, Tokyo, Japan. Private collection, London, UK, acquired from the above in 1993. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
The earliest attestations of the cult of Somtous, known as Sematawy in ancient Egyptian, date back to the New Kingdom, although it became particularly popular during the Late Period. Associated with Horus (Horsomtous), the symbol of the child emerging from the lotus represented the (re)birth of the sun god. Thus, Somtous was regarded as a life-giving amuletic symbol, sometimes even referred to as 'Sematawy the child who gives life.'
