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LOT 0468
Egyptian Gold Goddess Bastet Cat Amulet
LATE NEW KINGDOM, 1070-900 B.C.
3/8 in. (0.53 grams, 8 mm).
Modelled seated on a tongue-shaped base, suspension loop on the back.
ProvenanceFrom an early 20th century French collection.
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, item 29(c).
FootnotesThe goddess Bastet was believed to be the daughter of the sun god and was shown with the features of a lion up until about 1000 B.C. when she was first portrayed as a cat or human with a cat head. As the daughter of Ra she was associated with the rage inherent in the sun god's eye which was considered to be his instrument of vengeance. Her development into a cat goddess occurred during the New Kingdom but did not fully develop until the Late Period. She was still associated with the destructive power of the sun and was shown on the prow of the solar boat, decapitating the evil serpent Apophis in the Book of the Dead. The maternal, protective and hunting characteristics of the cat are obvious in Bastet and she was seen as a protector of pregnant women and young children. In the Pyramid Texts she is invoked by the deceased king to act as his protector and to help him reach the sky to join the sun god; the king proclaims that Bastet is his mother and nurse. Like her counterpart, Sekhmet, Bastet has an aggressive side and, in a text from Karnak, Amenhotep II described his enemies being slaughtered like the victims of Bastet. The goddess had a shrine at Karnak, where she is known as the 'Lady of Asheru' which aligns her closely with the goddess Mut, the consort of Amun-Ra. Her most famous shrine was in the north-east Delta region, at Bubastis, and was known as Per-Bastet or 'the House of Bastet.' Herodotus describes the festival of Bastet as one of the most elaborate in all of Egypt and identifies her with the Greek Artemis. Cemeteries of cats have been excavated at Bubastis and at Saqqara and Memphis.
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AUCTIONS:
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Ritual cup with sides tapering towards the base; the black glazed rectangular panel containing two columns of text: 'Lord of Appearances, Ramesses ruler of Heliopolis (Ramses heqa Iwnw) given life, beloved of Osiris, Lord of Rosetau'. 50 grams, 53 mm
with Hoshigaoka Gallery Co. Ltd, Japan. Private collection, London, acquired from the above on the 26th September 1981. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12637-235085. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato. -
Egyptian Glass Taweret Amulet
Late Period, 664-332 B.C.Estimate: £500 - 700 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £278
The goddess Taweret in the form of a hippopotamus standing upright with human arms resting on the swollen stomach, crocodile tail flowing down her spine from beneath her wig; mounted on a custom-made display stand. 11.9 grams, 52 mm
Ex P.A. collection, London, UK, 1990s. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
Tawaret is an ancient Egyptian goddess primarily associated with fertility, childbirth, motherhood, and the protection of women during pregnancy and childbirth. She is depicted as a composite creature, blending various animal traits, and is one of the more unique and striking deities in the Egyptian pantheon. Tawaret’s name is derived from the Egyptian word for "great" or "large" (tꜣwꜣrt), reflecting her formidable and protective nature. -
Historic Collection of 561 Slides of Archaeological Objects From Egypt
1960s-1980s A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £702
Housed in five linen-covered boxes, covering objects from the Old Kingdom, royal sculpture, general sculpture, and amulets, etc. 3.78 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.
