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LOT 0005
Egyptian Granite Seated Figure
LATE PERIOD, 664-332 B.C.
7 3/8 in. (4.1 kg, 18.7 cm).
Fragment of a statue of an official, comprising the torso and legs clad in an ankle-length robe and seated on a rectangular-section seat with stepped base and short, curved backrest and rear dorsal pillar; the left hand carved with the palm resting along the thigh; the right hand similarly placed but with the hand gripping a folded piece of cloth of which the ends are draped over the lower thigh above the knee; traces of an old label to reverse.
ProvenancePrivate collection, Europe.
with Bonhams & Brooks, 8th November 2001, no.265.
Private collection, Europe.
Accompanied by copies of the relevant Bonhams & Brooks catalogue pages.
This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12584-232097.
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.
Cf. Habachi, L., Elephantine IV: The Sanctuary of Heqaib II, pls. 39-41, for a complete statue from the time of Amenemhat II- Senwosret II with similar treatment of the lower portion of the garment; Oppenheim, A., et al (eds.), Ancient Egypt Transformed: The Middle Kingdom, pp.128-130, cat. 63, for an official from the reign of Senwosret III wearing a longer cloak-like garment and seated on a similarly shaped seat.
FootnotesThe official would have been shown wearing a longer cloak-like garment rather than a waist-height kilt, as the line of the folded edge is visible above where a waistband would typically be.
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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LOT 0005
Egyptian Granite Seated Figure
Estimate £3,500 - 4,500€4,060 - 5,220 (for guidance only)$4,730 - 6,080 (for guidance only)
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Phoenician Alabaster Spindle Whorl
1st millennium B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £52
Plano-convex in section with stepped profile to dome and underside. 16.52 grams, 32 mm
Found in Lebanon before 1980. From the private collection of Kenneth Machin (1936-2020), Buckinghamshire, UK; his collection of antiquities and natural history was formed since 1948; thence by descent. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato. -
Egyptian Green Glazed Steatite Syncretic Amulet of Mut
Third Intermediate Period, circa 1069-735 B.C.Estimate: £2,000 - 3,000 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £1,000
Modelled in the round, formed as the goddess standing before a high-backed throne cradling the head of a standing naked 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. -
Egyptian Silver Fly Amulet
Late-Ptolemaic Period, 664-30 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £85
With detailing to wings and eyes, loop for suspension above the head. 0.91 grams, 20 mm
Ex London, UK, gentleman 1980-1990s. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
Considering 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 for their speed, quick reactions, and persistence. Small fly amulets first appeared in burials during the Naqada II Period, around 3200 B.C. These amulets gained popularity, and the materials used to make them varied during the New Kingdom. They were 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 symbolised the fly’s fecundity. Additionally, pharaohs would bestow gold fly-shaped pendants as military awards to honour the bravery and persistence of soldiers in battle.
