Egyptian Limestone Figural Temple Relief

Comprising a restrung panel of small glazed composition beads in various colours representing a mummy face mask with false beard and collar; framed and glazed. 556 grams, 27.5 x 28.5 cm



Ex collection of Mr & Ms François & Marion Reber - Burki, Rue des Beaux-Arts 10, Neuchâtel, Switzerland. Collected in the first part of 20th century by Mr F. Burki, father of Ms Marion Reber.

Of mummiform type and decorated with a blue-green glaze; inscribed for a priest named Pa-di-Osiris, whose mother’s name is Sed-irt-binut; the shabti wearing a striated tripartite wig and long plaited divine beard; holding a pick in the left hand, the right hand holding a hoe and the cord of a seed bag hanging over his left shoulder; the face expertly modelled with carefully rendered cosmetic lines around the eyes, narrow eyebrows, and slightly smiling lips giving it a serene expression characteristic of the finest ushabtis of the period; standing on an integral plinth from which a plain back pillar terminating at the base of the wig extends; twelve horizontal rows of hieroglyphic inscription, the Sixth Chapter of the Book of the Dead; accompanied by a custom-made display base. 248 grams, 19.5 cm high (410 grams total, 23.5 cm high including stand)



Acquired on the Geneva art market, 1980. Swiss collection, early 1980s until 2000. UK private collection, 2000. Accompanied by an academic report by Egyptologist Paul Whelan. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.11802-206400.

The epithet 'true of voice' following the mother’s name, but not that of the owner, is a rather infrequent arrangement in shabti/ushabti inscriptions but can be found on other fine examples from this period. Pa-di-Osiris’s title is unusual, but may belong to the cult of the god Shu whose name is sometimes followed by the epithet, 'he who supports heaven'. The text contains Schneider’s version VIIA of The Book of the Dead Chapter 6.

The fish displayed atop a shrine on a hollow rectangular base; attached by ventral and pectoral fins, remains of forked tail; dorsal ridge; tapering nose; recessed circular eyes; horned sun disc headdress with coiled cobra to base; figure of a worshipping priest kneeling beneath. 271 grams, 10.6 cm



Acquired in Europe before 1990. Private collection, Europe. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.11833-206796.

Per-Medjed is the ancient Egyptian name of the main cult centre of this type of fish (Mormyrus kannume). The Greeks called the cult centre Oxyrhynchus Polis (meaning 'Town of the sharp-snouted fish'). In ancient Egyptian religion, these sacred fish were believed to have consumed the penis of the god Osiris after his brother Set had dismembered and scattered his body. Statuettes such as this are associated with Isis and Hathor.