Loading, please wait...
LOT 0460
Egyptian Gold Ba-Bird Amulet
LATE PERIOD, 664-332 B.C.
5/8 in. (0.38 grams, 15 mm).
Finely detailed depiction of a human-headed ba-bird with outspread wings and the one preserved claw holding a shen ring.
ProvenanceFrom the private collection of the late Mrs Belinda Ellison, a long time member of the Egyptian Exploration Society, c.1940-2020.
LiteratureCf. Wilkinson, A., Ancient Egyptian Jewellery, London, 1971, for an example of a similar form.
FootnotesIn ancient Egyptian religion, the ba is one of the principal aspects of the human soul, along with the ka and the akh. It is often depicted in bird form, symbolising the soul's mobility after death.
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:
TimeLine is a leading auction house specialising in antiquities, ancient art, collectables, natural history, coins, medals, and books. Our auctions offer museums, collectors, historians, and enthusiasts the opportunity to acquire unique and historically significant pieces.
-
Egyptian Carnelian Fly Amulet
Late Period, 664-332 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £117
Formed as a fly with long triangular wings and domed eyes. 0.42 grams, 12 mm
From an early 20th century collection.
Fly amulets first appeared in burials as early as c. 3200 B.C., but their popularity expanded during the New Kingdom. They were made from various materials such as gold, silver, lapis lazuli, carnelian, amethyst, faience, and bone. Fly amulets were thought to protect against insect bites and to ward off troublesome flying creatures through apotropaic magic. They may also have even been intended to symbolise the fly’s fecundity. Pharaohs would bestow gold fly-shaped pendants as military awards to honour the bravery and fly-like persistence of soldiers in battle. -
Egyptian Wooden Funerary Shabti Figurine
2nd-1st millennium B.C.Estimate: £1,500 - 2,000 (‡+bp*)
Opening Bid: £750
Carved in the round with D-shaped base, carefully modelled hair and ears with beard absent, the right hand visible, not holding any work tools, the body has the appearance of a mummy entirely draped in a shroud with rather elongated proportions, the broad and rounded face with a slightly ‘smiling’ expression, framed by a tripartite hairstyle without stripes, which continues down the back and two lappets on the chest. 39 grams, 14.5 cm
Ex R. Liechti (1934-2010) Geneva, Switzerland, formed between 1950-1990s. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12079-218221. -
Egyptian Silver Poppy Beads
Late Period, 664-332 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £124
Modelled in the shape of a poppy seed with a flat foot leading to a globular body with a tapering neck attached to a small loop at the top for suspension. 3.29 grams total, 16-17 mm
From an early 20th century collection.
Amulets in the form of poppies were used to heal and alleviate pain and to ward off death. These types of amulets were also linked to Osiris, the Egyptian deity of agriculture, death, and the afterlife.
