Loading, please wait...

Use mousewheel to zoom in and out, click to enlarge

Details

LOT 0424

Egyptian Multi-Stranded Mummy Bead Necklace

LATE PERIOD, 664-332 B.C.

24 in. (24.65 grams, 61 cm).

Four-strand designer necklace composed of polychrome beads of mainly disc and cylindrical types. [No Reserve]

Provenance

Acquired before 1979.
From the private collection of Mr F.A., South Kensington, London, UK; thence by descent 2014.

Literature

Cf. similar specimens in faience at the Worcester Art Museum, inventory no.1925.539.

Footnotes

For 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.

CONDITION

VETTING:

TimeLine 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:

TimeLine is a leading auction house specialising in antiquities, ancient art, collectables, natural history, coins, medals, and books. Our auctions offer museums, collectors, historians, and enthusiasts the opportunity to acquire unique and historically significant pieces.

LOT 0424

Egyptian Multi-Stranded Mummy Bead Necklace

Sold for (Inc. bp): £182

Print page

RELATED LOTS

  • Egyptian Steatite Portrait of a Ptolemaic Prince
    Egyptian Steatite Portrait of a Ptolemaic Prince
    2nd-1st century B.C.

    Sold for (Inc. bp): £975

    With a round face, large eyes, a narrow nose that broadens at the end, and full lips downturned at the corners; the forehead with a distinctive deep furrow above the brow; a narrow, twisted diadem encircling his wavy hair; mounted on a custom-made display stand. 84 grams total, 10 cm including stand



    Private collection, Bern, Switzerland. with Galerie Rhéa, Zurich, Switzerland. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12631-236408.

    The Greek hairstyle is a characteristic feature of Ptolemaic royal portraiture, as is the twisted diadem - a Greek interpretation of the Egyptian headband (the sšd) - which appears on several portrait heads of Ptolemaic boy-kings and princes. The distinctive furrow is intriguing, as it contrasts with the typically blemish-free physiognomy of most Ptolemaic royal sculpture. However, a similar furrow can be seen on the portrait head of a provincial governor from Dendera, dated to the 2nd century B.C. (Bothmer, B.V., Egyptian Sculpture of the Late Period 700 B.C. to A.D. 100, New York, 1960, pp. 144-143, pl. 112, nos. 301-302), which may indicate an artistic trend employed in high-status sculpture at that time. It has been suggested that small royal portrait heads, such as this example, may have served as votives. The lack of an Egyptian-style back pillar on this and similar pieces supports the possibility that they were inserted into statues made of different materials (Ashton, S.-A., Ptolemaic Royal Sculpture from Egypt, BAR International Series 923, Oxford, 2001, p.12).

    Lot Details

  • Phoenician Stone Scaraboid with Man Working in a Field
    Phoenician Stone Scaraboid with Man Working in a Field
    1st millennium B.C.

    Sold for (Inc. bp): £33

    Domed body with incised detailing, underside showing a man tending his land. 3.21 grams, 15 mm



    From a late Warwickshire numismatic collector, his collection formed from the early 1980s.

    Lot Details

  • Egyptian Bronze Uraeus Mount
    Egyptian Bronze Uraeus Mount
    Late Period-Ptolemaic Period, circa 664-30 B.C.

    Sold for (Inc. bp): £59

    Formed as a rearing cobra with the hood divided into cells to accept inlay. 6.54 grams, 35 mm



    From the collection of a gentleman, acquired on the London art market in the 1990s.

    The uraeus depicts a rearing cobra and symbolises royal power and authority, as well as the Lower Egyptian goddess Wadjet.

    Lot Details

Stay up-to-date with the latest from TimeLine Auctions by joining our mailing list