Egyptian Silver Bastet Cat Goddess

Modelled seated on an arch-shaped base, with simple facial detailing and suspension loop to the reverse. 0.50 grams, 8 mm



From an early 20th century French collection.

The goddess Bastet was considered to be the daughter of the sun god and was originally shown with the features of a lion up until about 1000 B.C. when she is portrayed as a cat or human with a cat head. As the daughter of Ra she is associated with the rage inherent in the sun god's eye which was considered to be his instrument of vengeance. Her development into a cat goddess occurred some time around the New Kingdom but did not fully develop until the Late Period. She is still associated with the destructive power of the sun and is shown on the prow of the solar boat decapitating the evil serpent Apophis in the Book of the Dead. The maternal, protective and hunting characteristics of the cat are the most obvious in Bastet and she is seen as a protector of pregnant women and young children. In the Pyramid Texts she is invoked by the deceased king to act as his protector and to help him reach the sky to join the sun god, and the king proclaims that Bastet is his mother and nurse. Like her counterpart, Sekhmet, Bastet has an aggressive side and in a text from Karnak the Pharaoh Amenhotep II describes how his enemies are slaughtered like the victims of Bastet. The goddess had a shrine at Karnak where she is known as the "Lady of Asheru" which places her closely with the goddess Mut, the consort of Amun-Ra. Her most famous shrine was in the north-east Delta region at Bubastis and was known as Per-Bastet or "the House of Bastet." Herodotus describes the festival of Bastet as one of the most elaborate in all of Egypt and identifies her with the Greek Artemis. Cemeteries of cats have been excavated at not only Bubastis but also Saqqara and Memphis.

Amuletic scarab bead with cartouche of Thutmose III flanked by erect sacred uraei to the underside. 1.96 grams, 16 mm



From a family collection formed 1900-1950; by descent circa 1980.

The obverse with a scene of Anubis recumbent on a pylon-shaped shrine with a standing sceptre in front; the reverse painted with a djed pillar flanked by two knots of Isis, remains of polychrome painted pigment; three piercings to both sides of the top; accompanied by a custom-made display stand. 71 grams, 85 mm wide (223 grams total, 10.5 cm including stand)

Fine condition.

From an early 20th century collection. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.11104-182800.

Pectorals worn by the living were made from metal, usually gold; for the dead, glazed composition was an acceptable substitute, indicating the funerary nature of such objects. Circular piercings have been made through the cavetto cornice, enabling the piece to be stitched to the bandages covering a mummy's chest. The shape of the pectoral imitates that of a pylon, the rectangular tower which flanked the gateway into an Egyptian temple. The cavetto cornice is decorated with a winged and gilded sun-disk. All four sides are adorned with a block pattern. A jackal reclining on a pylon-shaped shrine represents Anubis, god of embalming. He has a magical tie or scarf around his neck and is shown with a flagellum. Such imagery is found in New Kingdom tombs at Thebes. In front of the shrine is the sekhem sceptre of power. The reverse depicts a djed pillar, believed to represent the backbone with ribs of Osiris, god of the dead, flanked by the Girdle of Isis or 'tit' amulet. Both were standard funerary amulets.