Egyptian Rock Crystal Heart Scarab

A composition necklace composed of multiple strands of polychrome beads of mainly annular and tubular types. 28 grams total, 82 cm long



Acquired before 1979. From the private collection of Mr F. A., South Kensington, London, UK; thence by descent 2014. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.

Red and yellow faience were among the new colours appeared in the 18th Dynasty, but they were in use until the Late Period. It was ideally formed from a core of sand and quartz and a vitreous alkaline glaze. It was the preferred medium of Egyptian jewellers even before the First Dynasty, because of its malleability and its ability to imitate other more expensive materials thanks to the colour of the glaze.

A pale blue-green faience mummiform shabti, with arms crossed and holding a hoe in each hand, wearing a tripartite wig with a headband with ties hanging down at the back; a seed bag suspended below the wig; the outline of the eyes, eyebrows, hoes, and seed bag painted black; a central column of hieroglyphs on the front reading: wsı͗r šmꜤyt n ı͗mn ns-ḫns.w ‘The Osiris, chantress of Amun, Nes-Khonsu.’ 166 grams, 12.2 cm



Ex German private collection. Acquired from Galerie BB-Antiken & Asiatika with stock reference no.366/08. From the private collection of a Belgian collector. Ex TimesAncient, Bristol, UK. Accompanied by a copy of the Galerie BB-Antiken & Asiatika certificate dated 1 December 2008. Accompanied by a copy of a previous catalogue entry. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.

Nes-Khnosu (and the variant Nesy-Khonsu) were common names during the Third Intermediate Period. However, the combination of the name and title in the dedication on this shabti is less common. It is possible that this shabti comes from tomb 339 at Deir el-Medineh in Western Thebes. The tomb was discovered by Bernard Bruyère in 1929 (Rapports préliminaires Deir el Médineh, Cairo, 1930, p. 89, 92), from where blue faience shabtis bearing the same dedication were recovered. Traditionally, chantresses were female performers who acted as dancers and rhythmic musicians. Like Nes-Khnosu, many were associated with temples and played significant roles in religious festivals.

Wedjat bead or amulet with applied black detailing to the pupil and brow. 1.18 grams, 17 mm



Mr F.D. collection, acquired on the European art market, 1975 to present. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.

The wedjat-eye amulet is a representation of the healed eye of the god Horus, featuring both human and falcon elements. The name wedjat in ancient Egyptian means ‘the one that is sound.’ According to Egyptian mythology, Horus' eye was wounded or taken by the god Seth and restored by Thoth. The wedjat-eye amulet was thought to protect its wearer and bestow the power of recovery and regeneration onto them. It was very popular and used by both the living and the dead.