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LOT 0487
Egyptian Multi-Stranded Mummy Bead Necklace
LATE PERIOD, 664-332 B.C.
26 in. (23 grams total, 66 cm long).
Multi-stranded designer necklace composed of beads of mainly annular and tubular types. [No Reserve]
ProvenanceAcquired before 1979.
From the private collection of Mr F. A., South Kensington, London, UK; thence by descent 2014.
Cf. similar specimens in faience at the Worcester Art Museum, inventory no.1925.539.
FootnotesFor thousands of years, artisans in Egypt created vibrant ceramics to echo the beauty of rare jewels. These ornaments were created with almost every material, colour, and texture imaginable and they come from across Egypt and beyond: vibrant blue lapis lazuli from Afghanistan, glossy black obsidian from Turkey, and aqua-green turquoise from the Sinai. They were worn in life and, after death, they served as precious ornamentation for mummies
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 Bronze Scarab
Late 1st millennium B.C.Estimate: £400 - 600 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £200
Scaraboid with incised detailing to the underside, with a central column depicting standing figures top and bottom, each flanked by two ankh symbols, and a central motif of a standing figure grasping a sceptre and winged serpent in each hand. 6.54 grams, 17 mm
From an early 20th century Home Counties, UK, collection. -
Egyptian Silver Fly Amulet
Late Period, 664-332 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £124
Formed as a fly with long triangular wings and domed eyes. 0.84 grams, 16 mm
From an early 20th century collection.
Considering Egyptian artists often depicted fly whisks in the hands of pharaohs and high officials, one might assume that flies were simply a nuisance. However, the Egyptians held flies in high regard due to their quick speed, reactions, and persistence. 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 various 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 soldiers' bravery and fly-like persistence in battle. -
Egyptian Jasper Poppy Head Amulet
New Kingdom, 18th-19th Dynasty, circa 1550-1213 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £104
Polished and with integral pierced suspension loop. 0.78 grams, 15 mm
From an early 20th century collection.
Amulets in the form of poppies were used to heal, alleviate pain, and ward off death. This type of amulet was also associated with Osiris, the Egyptian deity of agriculture, death, and the afterlife.