Egyptian Silver Cat Amulet

Leclerc - Thèbes - Hypogées - Manuscrit sur papyrus - Proof etching on laid paper of plate 69 from La Description de l’Égypte: Antiquités, Volume II: Commission des sciences et arts d’Égypte with later backing sheet. 350 grams, 132 x 65 cm



From the collection of a North American priest. Acquired between 1981-1996. Property of a North American collector.

Produced between February 1802 and 1830 on the orders of Napoleon Bonaparte; published between 1809 and 1828. Just 1,000 copies were distributed to various institutions, printed on on laid paper with an 'Égypte ancienne et moderne' watermark. The book is subtitled Recueil des observations et des recherches qui ont été faites en Égypte pendant l’expédition de l’Armée française, publié par les ordres de Sa Majesté l’Empereur Napoléon le Grand (Gathering of observations and discoveries which were made in Egypt during the expedition of the French army, published on the orders of His Majesty the Emperor Napoleon the Great). It was the world's first encyclopedia devoted exclusively to the remains of ancient Egypt. The plates of this book are the first to present the archaeological sites of Thebes (Luxor). The papyrus manuscript was recovered from the underground chambers (hypogea). The papyrus is now in the Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris.

Rectangular panel carved in sunk relief with vertical borders framing a portion of hieroglyphic inscription ...ḥry sštꜢ n..., '...keeper of secrets of...'. 6.79 kg total, 50.5 cm high including stand



Reputedly acquired by a private collector in 1936. Ex Ian Colverson Collection, UK (1940-2022). This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.12196-222436.

The relief is most likely a fragment of a vertical inscription from a false door of an Old Kingdom tomb chapel. The complete inscription was probably an offering formula followed by a list of the tomb owner's titles. The 'keeper of secrets' is a priestly title indicating that one of his roles was as an embalmer.

With linear detailing to body and wings, loop above the neck. 1.1 grams, 20 mm



From an early 20th century collection.

Small fly amulets first appeared in burials during the Naqada II Period, c. 3200 B.C. These amulets grew in popularity and the materials used to make them expanded during the New Kingdom. They are crafted from a variety of materials such as gold, silver, lapis lazuli, carnelian, amethyst, faience, and bone. These amulets were thought to protect against insect bites and to ward off troublesome flying creatures through apotropaic magic. Some believe they may have even been intended to symbolise the fly’s fecundity. Additionally, pharaohs would bestow gold fly-shaped pendants as military awards to honour the bravery and fly-like persistence of soldiers in battle.