Loading, please wait...
LOT 0427
Egyptian Pre-Dynastic Greywacke Palette
PREDYNASTIC PERIOD, NAQADA III, CIRCA 3300–2960 B.C.
5 1/4 in. (238 grams, 13.3 cm).
Circular in plan with smoothed faces, pierced through the edge.
ProvenanceAcquired in the mid 1980s-1990s.
Private collection, Switzerland, thence by descent.
Private collection, 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.
Cf. Petrie, W.M.F., Corpus of Prehistoric Pottery and Palettes, London, 1917, pl.LIII, 77, for two similar examples from the Predynastic cemetery at Tarkhan.
FootnotesPalettes were utilitarian objects used in the Predynastic Period to grind and mix mineral-based eye pigments (including ochre, malachite, and haematite). Greywacke cosmetic palettes were easily carved in various shapes and sizes, including zoomorphic representations and geometric forms. The symbolism of this circular palette may be connected to the sun disc, which featured prominently in ancient Egyptian culture.
The palette was so significant in Predynastic society that purely ceremonial versions, often impractically large for their original purpose, were produced for use in temple rituals. The most famous is the highly decorated Narmer Palette discovered at Hierakonpolis.
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.
-
Egyptian Green Glazed Faience Amulet of a Seated Sphinx
Kushite Kingdom, 25th Dynasty, circa 747-656 B.C.Estimate: £1,000 - 1,400 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £500
Figure of a sphinx in seated pose on a tongue-shaped base, with loop between the shoulders and Nubian hairstyle. 17.48 grams total, 51 mm including stand
with Charles Ede Ltd, London, UK. Private collection, London, UK, acquired from the above on 28 April 1994. Accompanied by a copy of the Charles Ede invoice. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
The 'Nubian' hairstyle was worn by young women in connection with birth, nursing babies and applying cosmetics. -
Egyptian Statuette of a Standing Monkey
Ptolemaic Period, 4th-1st century B.C. or laterEstimate: £800 - 1,000 (‡+bp*)
Opening Bid: £400
Standing on a rectangular plinth with head raised and tail curled above the hindquarters, barrel-shaped body with incised detailing at the shoulders and hips, traces of a white and reddish brown coating; partially restored; old collector's labels to underside '51' and 'N13234'. 42.8 grams, 60 mm
Ex Baden-Württemberg, Germany, formed since ca.1930. Private collection Saarland, Germany. Thereafter, Michael Schrôder, Germany. Consigned to DAWO Auktion, 18 February 2017, no.824. Accompanied by a copy of an Art Loss Register certificate no.S00123279. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato. -
Large Egyptian Bronze Oxyrhynchus Fish of Per-Medjed with Hieroglyphic Inscription
Late-Ptolemaic Period, 664-30 B.C.Estimate: £5,000 - 7,000 (‡+bp*)
Opening Bid: £2,500
Modelled in the round on a sledge attached by ventral and pectoral fins, a forked tail, a dorsal ridge, and a tapering nose, featuring recessed circular eyes filled with enamel, a horned sun disc headdress fronted by a uraeus, and a suspension loop behind; a few hieroglyphs of a dedication remain visible on the underside of the sledge, which may be interpreted as ‘….the great give life (to)…’ (…t wr rdi͗ Ꜥnḫ t….); presumably, 'the great' followed the name of a deity, now lost. 585 grams, 17 cm
Acquired from Gallery Reiner, Paris, France, 1981. Private collection, Europe. Accompanied by a copy of French passport no.150583 dated 29 November 2013. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12375-226676. 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 Medjed, a type of elephant-snout fish (Mormyrus kannume), was revered in ancient Egyptian religion, particularly in Per-Medjed, better known by its Greek name, Oxyrhynchus Polis. This version of the name, meaning "city of the sharp-nosed," reflects the fish's distinctive appearance as depicted in Egyptian art. These fish were believed to have consumed the penis of Osiris, the god who was dismembered and scattered by his brother Seth. As sacred creatures, figurines of the Medjed were often adorned with a horned sun-disc headdress worn by the goddesses Hathor and Isis, suggesting a close association with both. Some figurines, like this example, featured suspension loops, allowing them to be worn as pendant amulets.
