Egyptian Gold Bull Amulet

Modelled in the round, comprising a small barque with a seated baboon and a falcon, possibly Thoth and Horus, with a slot to the underside. 35.9 grams, 64 mm



From the collection of a gentleman, acquired on the London art market in the 1990s.

In Egyptian mythology, Thoth restored the eye of Horus, suggesting that this may be the theme of the figurine's composition. Alternatively, the composition may be a condensed depiction of the funerary vignette, which shows the falcon form of the sun god Re in his solar barque flanked by baboons in an attitude of praise. The slot in the underside suggests it was once attached to a separate base.

Banded agate scaraboid with openwork gold frame, tubular suspension loop, triangular clusters of granules to the edge; Phoenician or Achaemenid. 4.20 grams, 21 mm



Acquired in the mid 1980s-1990s. Private collection, Switzerland, thence by descent. Private collection, since the late 1990s.

A group of thirteen scarabs with anatomical detailing to the carapace, comprising: 1) two kneeling hawk-headed figures with arms raised praise flank a central Hathoric fetish; 2) two facing falcons adorned with Red Crowns flanked by hieroglyphs, including netjer,hes-jars, and maat feathers; 3) standing human figure holding a staff atop a neb hieroglyph facing a highly stylised crocodile; 4) falcon atop a neb hieroglyph facing a striking cobra with another above; 5) the Re-Horakhty falcon standing before a hes-jar, with cartouche behind containing hieroglyphs and a verticalneb hieroglyph on the left; 6) central motif of a bird atop a neb hieroglyph with a rectangular sign above, a was- sceptre behind, flanked by stylised cobras; 7) falcon wearing the Red Crown atop a shrine with a winged sun disc above, flanked by cobras and Red Crowns; 8) central design consisting of hes-jars, a sun disc, a nub symbol (for gold), nefer signs, a kheper scarab beetle, and lotus flowers, all flanked by a border of en and ro signs; 9) central column of hes-jars, a sun disc, a kha rising sun hieroglyph, and scarab beetle, flanked by lions’ foreparts, Red Crowns, neb and hes-jar signs; 10) standing figure atop a neb hieroglyph holding a flower/branch; 11) hieroglyphs writing ‘Amun beloved of the living Ramesses’; 12) stylised bird with men hieroglyph behind; 13) scarab beetle with sun disc above. 27.1 grams total, 11-20 mm



Acquired in the mid 1980s-1990s. Private collection, Switzerland, thence by descent. Private collection, since the late 1990s.

The popularity of the scarab was so great that many of these scarab designs can be found outside Egypt at sites in the ancient Levant.