Egyptian Head of a Noblewoman from a Banquet Scene

A mixed group of mainly composition artefacts and fragments comprising: a steatite scarab beetle inscribed with a scarab, cobra and crown to base, 2024-1700 B.C.; tilapia fish, symbol of regeneration, c.1300 B.C.; Taweret hippopotamus goddess of child birth, c.1300 B.C.; sphinx amulet, c.1300 B.C; alabaster kohl jar fragment sticks, c.1400 B.C.; Djed pillar amulet, c.600-300 B.C.; stone playing counter, c.300-50 B.C.; two fruit amulets, c.18th-19th Dynasty; fragment of a large Eye of Horus, c.600 B.C.; Eye of Horus amulet with nfr sign on reverse, c. 1000 B.C. 66.8 grams total, 8-39 mm



From an old UK collection. From the private collection of Alf Baxendale (1941-2016) part 2, keen Egyptologist, member of the Egyptology Society, trustee of the Amarna Trust; thence by descent. Accompanied by twelve identification display cards. Accompanied by a copy of his obituary published in Horizon, The Amarna Project and Amarna Trust newsletter, Issue 18, 2017, p.21, by Barry John Kemp, CBE, FBA, Professor Emeritus of Egyptology at the University of Cambridge and directing excavations at Amarna in Egypt.

A pale blue glazed mummiform shabti for an Imy-Khent priest, modelled standing on a rectangular base, arms crossed over the chest and holding a pick and a hoe, seed bag over the left shoulder, wearing a tripartite wig and false beard; two vertical columns of hieroglyphs to the front of the body, plain dorsal pillar; some of the hieroglyphs spelling the owner's name are poorly rendered, but appears to be Ba-ankh-sa-sobeky. 99 grams, 13.5 cm high



From a Worcester deceased estate. Property of a Cambridgeshire gentleman. Accompanied by an academic report by Egyptologist Paul Whelan.

Although the name of the shabti’s owner and, in particular, that of his parent, are rather unclear, the titles are clearly written and inform us that Ba-ankh-sa-sobeky served as an ‘Imy-khent priest’ associated with the Delta city of Mendes, where the principal deity was the sacred ram god Ba-neb-djedet (meaning ‘Ram, lord of Djedet’). The hieroglyph of the standing ram (Ba) forms the first part of the priest’s name. From the Late Period onwards the priestly title of the nearby city of Hermopolis Parva, ‘One who Separates the Two Gods’, also appears in Mendesian title strings, perhaps indicating that Hermopolis Parva and its religious cults had come under the control of Mendes; indeed, Mendes is thought to have been the capital of Egypt during the 29th Dynasty. The crocodile god Sobek was also worshipped at Mendes in later periods and Ba-ankh-sa-sobeky’s name appears to reflect both this reptilian deity and the traditional ram god of the city.

A translucent carnelian scarab with detailing to the head, body and legs; drilled for suspension. 5.98 grams, 22 mm

Fine condition.

Acquired 1979-1999. London collection of the late Mr S.M., thence by descent.