Egyptian Silver Ankh and Was-Sceptre Amulet

Carved as three radiating figures with conical headdress; the hair, limbs and other features shared by the three separate personae; pierced for suspension. 1.70 grams, 23 mm



From the collection of Mr S.M., London, UK, formed from 1969-1999. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.

Irregular fragment of a low-relief frieze showing the hips and legs of two standing figures: left, torso with short kilt gathered at the waist and portions of legs below, body of a fish behind with long dorsal and ventral fins, small tail; right, torso of a figure similarly clad with right forearm and hand gripping a fishing line and upper portion of a fish attached; applied red-maroon pigment to skin areas; mounted in an old stand. 675 grams, 23 cm wide including stand



Private collection, Europe. with Sotheby's, London, July 1991, no.162. Acquired by the current owner from the above. Accompanied by a copy of the relevant Sotheby's catalogue pages. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12585-232180. 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 crisp and detailed carving and colour palette are reminiscent of reliefs from the grand Theban tomb of Montuemhat, Mayor and Fourth Priest of Amun (circa 700-650 B.C.).

Carved in the round head with plaster prepared surface; with integral Atef crown ornamented with lateral bronze ostrich plumes and uraeus to the brow; carved facial detailing with broad nose and small mouth; applied bronze braided beard with scrolled tip; ears pierced to accept earrings; mounted on a custom-made stand. 3.62 kg total, 52.5 cm high including stand



Acquired by the family from an antiquities dealer in Egypt, October 1982. Ex Dunkirk Manor, Theescombe, Stroud. Mr F.D. collection, acquired from the above. Accompanied by an academic report by Egyptologist Paul Whelan. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12513-231999. 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.

This head likely originates from a large-scale standing figure of the underworld god Osiris. In contrast to the ubiquitous small bronze Osiris figurines found at cult sites throughout Egypt – which were left by pilgrims as votive offerings – large-scale wooden statues are much rarer. Their scarcity is partly due to the fragile nature of wood, which made such statues more susceptible to decay over time, but also because these larger figures were used in more specialised and exclusive ritual contexts. This is evidenced by the significant discovery of a large wooden Osiris statue in a cache of votive objects at Saqqara, associated with a temple shrine. The find suggests that the sizeable image of Osiris played an important role in religious ceremonies in the temple, where it presumably served as the focus of veneration. The Saqqara cache dates no later than the reign of Nectanebo II (360-343 B.C.), whose temple pavement covered it. However, the exact dating of the wooden statue is less certain, with estimates ranging from the New Kingdom to the 26th Dynasty.