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LOT 0457
Egyptian Limestone Floral Inlay Group
ROMAN PERIOD, 30 B.C.-323 A.D. OR EARLIER
1/8 - 3/4 in. (60 grams total, 1-21 mm).
Group of discoid inlay plaques or gaming counters, crinoids with cinquefoil motif; some fragmentary. [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.
Cf. similar disc in shape of rosette in MET, accession no. 35.1.131.
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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Egyptian Faience Mummy Bead Mask
Ptolemaic Period, 332-30 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £234
A restrung beadwork panel of small glazed composition beads in various colours representing a mummy face mask with false beard. 38.8 grams, 14 cm wide
From the private collection of a Canadian gentleman living in Essex, UK, formed since the 1920s-circa 1990. Property of an Essex lady until the late 1990s; thence by descent. From the private collection of an Essex gentleman since the late 1990s. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato. -
Egyptian Carnelian Fly Amulet
Late Period, 664-332 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £104
Carved with ribbed body and eye detailing; drilled through the body for suspension. 0.34 grams, 10 mm
Ex London, UK, 1990s. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
Small fly amulets first appeared in burials during the Naqada II Period, c. 3200 B.C. These amulets grew in popularity and the materials used to make them expanded during the New Kingdom. They are crafted from a variety of materials such as gold, silver, lapis lazuli, carnelian, amethyst, faience, and bone. These amulets were thought to protect against insect bites and to ward off troublesome flying creatures through apotropaic magic. Some believe they may have even been intended to symbolise the fly’s fecundity. Additionally, pharaohs would bestow gold fly-shaped pendants as military awards to honour the bravery and fly-like persistence of soldiers in battle. -
Egyptian Granite Seated Figure
Late Period, 664-332 B.C.Estimate: £3,500 - 4,500 (‡+bp*)
Opening Bid: £1,889
Fragment of a statue of an official, comprising the torso and legs clad in an ankle-length robe and seated on a rectangular-section seat with stepped base and short, curved backrest and rear dorsal pillar; the left hand carved with the palm resting along the thigh; the right hand similarly placed but with the hand gripping a folded piece of cloth of which the ends are draped over the lower thigh above the knee; traces of an old label to reverse. 4.1 kg, 18.7 cm
Private collection, Europe. with Bonhams & Brooks, 8th November 2001, no.265. Private collection, Europe. Accompanied by copies of the relevant Bonhams & Brooks 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.12584-232097. 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.
The official would have been shown wearing a longer cloak-like garment rather than a waist-height kilt, as the line of the folded edge is visible above where a waistband would typically be.
