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LOT 0024
Egyptian Predynastic Stone Frog
4TH MILLENNIUM B.C.
3 1/8 in. (537 grams, 81 mm).
Pyramidal in form with shallow-carved hip and facial detailing.
Provenancewith Artemis Gallery, Munich, Germany, 2001.
Private collection, Europe.
This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12580-232124.
Cf. Teeter, E. (ed.), Before the Pyramids, The origins of Egyptian Civilization, Chicago, 2011, fig.65, p.211, for a similar stone frog.
FootnotesThe frog had a great role in ancient Egyptian mythology and was connected with the mythology of creation. A number of gods and goddesses were connected with the frog such as Heqet, Ptah, and Heh. The connection with the god Ptah as a god of creation was probably due to the idea that Ptah was the only god who created the world in ancient Egypt through his heart and his tongue. Every work of the god came about through what his heart devised and his tongue commanded. Frogs were often associated with Hekat, deity of birth and fecundity. Amulets of frogs were frequent votive gifts at such Predynastic and Archaic sites at Abydos, Naqada, and Saqqara.
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 Yellow Faience Pataikos Amulet
Late Period, 664-332 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £130
Depicted nude and standing on a rectangular base, with a large head, and short arms resting above his bendy legs. 4.87 grams, 32 mm
From an early 20th century UK collection. Accompanied by a previously illustrated catalogue card with provenance.
Herodotus mentions Pataikos as a dwarf-like depiction of Ptah, although the ancient Egyptian name of the god remains unclear. These small amulets symbolise Ptah’s immense magical power, which helps to protect the wearer from dangerous creatures such as snakes and crocodiles. The role of the deity in the funerary sphere is explained in Spell 164 of the Book of the Dead, where Pataikos is invoked to safeguard the deceased’s heart against attacks by enemies and against the decay of the body. -
Large Egyptian Green Faience Figure of Nefertum with Figure of Sekhmet to the Reverse
Ptolemaic Period, circa 332-30 B.C.Estimate: £2,000 - 3,000 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £1,000
Modelled standing with arms held vertically at his sides, wearing a tripartite wig surmounted by a lotus flower flanked by scrolled leaves; dorsal pillar with low-relief image of Sekhmet in lioness-headed form and solar disc above; mounted on a custom-made stand. 480 grams total, 19.5 cm high including stand
with Art Ancient, London, UK. Private collection, London, UK. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.13352-257009.
Nefertum is often depicted with a prominent lotus blossom above his head, symbolising both his divine beauty and his connection to the sun's rejuvenating power. He is sometimes portrayed with a lion's head or a lioness’s mane, or, as here, accompanied by an image of his lioness mother, Sekhmet, on his back, emphasising his link to her fierce and healing powers. -
Egyptian Stone and Faience Scarab Group
2nd-1st millennium B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £338
Comprising: a blue glazed scarab with the cartouche of Thutmosis III (Men-kheper-Ra) on the underside flanked by other signs; a scarab with three schematic human figures; a scarab with an open lotus flower; another with motifs on the underside; and a blue and black glass scarab with a plain underside. 6.02 grams total, 10-16 mm
From the private collection of a European gentleman (1942-2024), formed since the 1970s.
