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LOT 0035
Egyptian Green Glazed Faience Figure of Somtous
LATE PERIOD, CIRCA 664-332 B.C.
2 5/8 in. (39.7 grams total, 68 mm including stand).
Modelled in the round, the nude seated figure of the child Somtous, with one hand to his lips and a prominent sidelock, emerging from a lotus flower; mounted on a custom-made stand.
Provenancewith Noriuchi Horiuchi, Tokyo, Japan.
Private collection, London, UK, acquired from the above in 1993.
This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
See Gaber, H., Servajean, F., Du pays de Pount aux rives du Nil: parfums d’Égypte, Gand, 2024, pp. 196-197, for discussion and an example in bronze.
FootnotesThe earliest attestations of the cult of Somtous, known as Sematawy in ancient Egyptian, date back to the New Kingdom, although it became particularly popular during the Late Period. Associated with Horus (Horsomtous), the symbol of the child emerging from the lotus represented the (re)birth of the sun god. Thus, Somtous was regarded as a life-giving amuletic symbol, sometimes even referred to as 'Sematawy the child who gives life.'
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LOT 0035
Egyptian Green Glazed Faience Figure of Somtous
Estimate £1,000 - 1,400€1,160 - 1,620 (for guidance only)$1,350 - 1,890 (for guidance only)
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Egyptian Shell Bead Necklace
Late-Ptolemaic Period, 664-30 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £26
Restrung necklace of scallops, cockles, limpets, and other types. 27 grams, 51 cm
From the private collection of Walter Thomas Gaze Cooper (1895-1980). This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato. -
Romano-Egyptian Limestone Stele of a Nobleman Holding an Offering to the Gods
3rd-4th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £3,640
Modelled in the half-round as a man standing on an integral plinth, round face with short curly hair, wide eyes, a slender nose and a small mouth; wearing a Greek himation wrapped around his body and feet enclosed in Romano-Egyptian sandals; the left arm lowered and holding a cluster of grapes; his right arm bent at the elbow and holding a roll; remains of red and dark brown pigment on the face and clothing. 50 kg, 81.5 cm
Property of a Surrey lady; acquired by her father Christopher Terry circa 1980. Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D'Amato. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.12603-233353. 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.
Limestone niches with polychrome representations of the deceased were common in Roman Egypt, and lasted until the time of the Arab conquest. The man depicted on this stele certainly belonged to the high contemporary nobility as is evidenced by his well-pleated clothing, which identifies him as a member of local Graeco-Roman aristocracy. -
Egyptian Glazed Steatite Amulet of Bastet
Late Period, circa 664-332 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £1,820
Modelled in advancing pose wearing a tight-fitting robe, cat-headed, with a sistrum in one hand and a Bes head emblem in the other; suspension loop between shoulders. 3.75 grams, 38 mm
François de Ricqlès, Paris, Archéologie, 30 September-1 October 1996, no.332. Private collection, London, UK, acquired from the above sale. Accompanied by a copy of a French cultural passport, dated 2 October 1996. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
Bastet is typically depicted with the head of a lioness or domestic cat. The cat symbolises protection, motherhood, and, later, gentleness and domesticity, qualities associated with Bastet, especially in her later evolution from a fierce lioness to a more benevolent feline goddess. The sistrum she holds is a ritual musical instrument associated with Hathor and other birth goddesses and is linked to joy, music, and divine protection. Bastet was often invoked during music and dance ceremonies, and the sistrum reinforces her role in celebration and protection. Bes was a dwarf god known for guarding households, particularly mothers and children. His image on Bastet’s amulet emphasises her protective role, especially at home and during childbirth.
