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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.
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Phoenician Bronze Stamp Seal
Late 1st millennium B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £46
With domed head and pierced rectangular shank, hatched detailing. 5.53 grams, 24.5 mm
Ex London, UK, gentleman, 1990. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato. -
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Egyptian Limestone Relief
Late Period, 664-332 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £2,080
A fragment featuring a low-relief depiction of a male head in profile with a shoulder-length duplex wig, the upper part intricately detailed with herringbone stripes and a fringed edge, transitioning into heavy curls at the lower part, sporting a short beard and a boldly carved ear with an indented lobe, drilled for a mounting peg. 1.95 kg, 26.5 cm
Acquired in the mid 1980s-1990s. Private collection, Switzerland, thence by descent. Private collection, since the late 1990s. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12626-234637. 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. -
Egyptian Blue Glass Bird Inlay
Ptolemaic Period, circa 332-30 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £624
Modelled in the half-round with low-relief hatched detailing; perching on a D-section base; mounted on a silver support and a wooden display stand. 18 grams total, 55 mm including stand
with Jean-Phillipe Mariaud de Serres, Paris, France. Private collection, London, UK, acquired from the above in 1992. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
The falcon inlay possibly symbolises Horus, the god of the sky, war, and protection. Horus was one of the most significant and widely worshipped gods in ancient Egyptian mythology. His importance spans multiple facets of Egyptian religion, including kingship, protection, the sky, and the sun. Depicted in various human and animal forms, Horus played a vital role in Egyptian cosmology, especially as the protector of the Pharaoh and as a representation of divine authority.
