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LOT 0438
Egyptian Gold Fly Amulet
LATE PERIOD, 664-332 B.C.
5/8 in. (1.76 grams, 17 mm).
Chevron-shaped pendant with incised detailing to the body and wings.
ProvenanceFrom the collection of a gentleman, acquired on the London art market in the 1990s.
This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
Cf. Andrews, C., Amulets of Ancient Egypt, London, 1994, fig. 48, for similar examples of gold flies.
FootnotesConsidering that Egyptian artists often depicted fly whisks in the hands of pharaohs and high officials, one might assume that flies were merely a nuisance. However, the Egyptians held flies in high regard due to their quick speed, reactions, and persistence. Small fly amulets first appeared in burials during the Naqada II Period, around 3200 B.C. These amulets grew in popularity, and the materials used to make them expanded during the New Kingdom. They are crafted from various materials such as gold, silver, lapis lazuli, carnelian, amethyst, faience, and bone. These amulets were believed to protect against insect bites and to ward off troublesome flying creatures through apotropaic magic. Some believe they may have even been intended to symbolise the fly’s fecundity. Additionally, pharaohs would bestow gold, fly-shaped pendants as military awards to honour the bravery and fly-like persistence of soldiers in battle.
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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Historic Collection of 772 Slides of Archaeological Sites in Egypt
1960s-1980s A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £1,300
Housed in five linen-covered boxes, covering Saqqara, Step Pyramids, The Serapeum, Giza, Karnak, Tombs of the Nobles, Deir-el Medina Tombs, Ummuh Bured Tombs, Denderah and Edfu, etc. 4.17 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. -
Egyptian Blue Glazed Pataikos Statuette
Third Intermediate Period, 1069-702 B.C.Estimate: £600 - 800 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £300
Modelled in the round standing nude on a D-shaped base with atef crown, dorsal pillar with loop. 13.68 grams, 73 mm
Acquired on the German art market, 1989-1995. with The Museum Gallery, 19 Bury Place, London, WC1, UK, 1998-2003. Property of a London based academic, 2003 to present. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
Herodotus mentions Pataikos as a dwarf-like representation of Ptah, although the ancient Egyptian name of the god remains unclear. These diminutive amulets symbolise Ptah’s immense magical power, which serves to protect the wearer from dangerous creatures such as snakes and crocodiles. The role of the deity in the funerary sphere is explained in Spell 164 of the Book of the Dead, where Pataikos is used to protect the deceased’s heart from enemy attacks and the putrefaction of the body. The atef crown worn by this example, clearly links the figure to the underworld god, Osiris. -
Egyptian Green Glazed Steatite Syncretic Amulet of Mut
Third Intermediate Period, circa 1069-735 B.C.Estimate: £2,500 - 3,500 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £1,250
Modelled in the round, formed as the goddess standing before a high-backed throne cradling the head of a standing child to her chest; the goddess with tiered double-crown and tripartite wig; throne with low-relief figure of the lioness-headed goddess Sekhmet to the rear with spread wings forming the arms of the chair. 22.6 grams, 61 mm
with Jean-Phillipe Mariaud de Serres, Paris, France. Private collection, London, UK, acquired from the above in 1992. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12633-235083. This lot has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database, and is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
Mut was a prominent mother goddess in ancient Egyptian religion, associated with creation, motherhood, and the sky. She was the consort of the god Amun and the mother of Khonsu, forming the Theban triad with them in Thebes. Mut's name ("mother" in ancient Egyptian), reflects her role as a divine mother and patroness of motherhood. Sekhmet was revered as a powerful and fierce protector. Her presence was believed to ward off evil and safeguard the people from harm. In ancient Egyptian mythology, Sekhmet was also a manifestation of Hathor, another powerful birth goddess.
