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LOT 0458
Egyptian Limestone 'Floral' Inlay Group
ROMAN PERIOD, 30 B.C.-323 A.D. OR EARLIER
1/4 - 5/8 in. (79 grams total, 8-18 mm).
Group of discoid inlay plaques or gaming counters, crinoids with cinquefoil motif. [70, No Reserve]
ProvenanceFrom a central London ADA dealership, 1980-1990.
FootnotesFlowers were symbolic of rebirth due to the daily reopening of their petals after nightfall. As a result, they were widely used in domestic settings, religious and funerary contexts, and as adornments. Similar rosette discs, like those recovered from the Ramesside Period palace at Qantir, were used as decorative elements in royal palaces.
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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Phoenician Stone Bird-Shaped Weight
Late 1st millennium B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £351
Fashioned as a seated bird with partly outspread wings. 4.15 grams, 15 mm
From a London, UK, based collection, 1990s. -
Egyptian Brown Quartzite Baboon Animal Figurine
New Kingdom, circa 1550-1070 B.C.Estimate: £6,000 - 8,000 (‡+bp*)
Opening Bid: £3,000
Carved in a typical pose, sitting on its haunches with its tail curving around the right side, its front paws resting on its knees and protruding beneath its thick furry pelt, with incised detailing, its feet either side of the phallus, the head with bulbous, striated hair on either side, chipped, snout restored; seated on a high shrine-shaped plinth with squared front and rounded back, featuring a cavetto cornice and roll detailing on the upper part. 1.15 kg, 15 cm
From a deceased American estate, 1970-1989. with Bonham's, London, 28 October 2009, no.35. Accompanied by copies of the relevant Bonham's 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.12368-226706.
The baboon was an animal manifestation of the god Thoth, who was revered for his association with knowledge, writing, and healing. -
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Egyptian Blue Glazed Faience Figure of Pataikos
Saite Period, 26th Dynasty, 664-545 B.C.Estimate: £500 - 700 (‡+bp*)
Opening Bid: £250
Wearing a broad collar and a stylised scarab on top of the head, elongated arms resting on the lower part of his protruding abdomen. 10.8 grams, 43 mm
Acquired in the mid 1980s-1990s. Private collection, Switzerland, thence by descent. Private collection, since the late 1990s.
Herodotus mentions Pataikos as a dwarf-like representation of Ptah, although the ancient Egyptian name of the god remains unclear. These diminutive amulets symbolise Ptah’s immense magical power, which served to protect the wearer from dangerous creatures such as snakes and crocodiles. The role of the deity in the funerary sphere is explained in Spell 164 of the Book of the Dead, where a Pataikos is used to protect the deceased's heart from enemy attacks and the putrefaction of the body.
