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LOT 0414
Egyptian Limestone Floral Inlay Group
ROMAN PERIOD, 30 B.C.-323 A.D. OR EARLIER
1/4 - 5/8 in. (49 grams total, 6-17 mm).
Group of discoid inlay plaques or gaming counters, crinoids with cinquefoil motif; some fragmentary. [54, No Reserve]
ProvenanceFrom a central London ADA dealership, 1980-1990.
This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
Flowers 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 Glass Bird Pendant
425-200 B.C.Estimate: £150 - 200 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £75
Hollow-formed amuletic pendant with applied trails to the body, applied eyes with white rims, suspension loop on the back. 1.95 grams, 19 mm
Ex collection of the late S.M., London, UK, 1970-1990s. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato. -
Egyptian Turquoise Glazed Faience Amulet of Imsety
Late Period, circa 664-332 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £468
Flat-backed depiction of Imsety, one of the four sons of Horus, wearing a finely detailed tripartite wig, a broad collar, and holding a length of folded cloth. 3.66 grams, 36 mm
with Ancient World Arts, New York, USA. Private collection, London, UK, acquired from the above in 1994. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
The Four Sons of Horus were deities responsible for protecting the deceased's internal organs. The human-headed Imsety protected the liver, the baboon-headed Hapy protected the lungs, the jackal-headed Duamutef protected the stomach, and the falcon-headed Qebehsenuef protected the intestines. Amulets depicting these deities were placed within the mummy wrappings. -
Egyptian Faience Duck Scaraboid with Hieroglyphs
Late Period, 664-332 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £286
Modelled as a resting duck with its neck curved around the upper body, feather detailing on the wings, tail, and body, and delicately formed head; the underside features a baboon in a posture of adoration before an obelisk, wearing a lunar disc and crescent headdress, with a neb sign below. 2.82 grams, 19 mm
From the property of a London, UK, gentleman, 1970-2000s. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
Baboons were observed worshipping the rising sun with raised arms, a behaviour that Egyptians interpreted as divine reverence. The scarab's imagery symbolises cosmic harmony and sacred wisdom, with the baboon (a manifestation of Thoth in his lunar aspect) showing reverence to an obelisk (a symbol of the solar god, Ra). Thus, it blends moon and sun symbolism, embodying balance, cyclical renewal, divine order, and the interplay between knowledge (Thoth) and power (Ra). The neb sign indicates lordship or possession over all the celestial forces.
