Loading, please wait...
LOT 0518
Egyptian Silver Fly Amulet
LATE PERIOD, 664-332 B.C.
3/4 in. (1.1 grams, 20 mm).
With linear detailing to body and wings, loop above the neck.
ProvenanceFrom an early 20th century collection.
LiteratureCf. Andrews, C., Amulets of Ancient Egypt, London, 1994, pp.62-3.
FootnotesSmall 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.
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:
TimeLine is a leading auction house specialising in antiquities, ancient art, collectables, natural history, coins, medals, and books. Our auctions offer museums, collectors, historians, and enthusiasts the opportunity to acquire unique and historically significant pieces.
-
Egyptian Limestone 'Floral' Inlay Group
Roman Period, 30 B.C.-323 A.D. or earlierSold for (Inc. bp): £46
Group of discoid inlay plaques or gaming counters, crinoids with cinquefoil motif. 33 grams total, 13-18 mm
From a central London ADA dealership, 1980-1990.
Flowers were symbolic of rebirth due to the daily reopening of their petals after nightfall. As a result, they were widely used in domestic settings, religious and funerary contexts, and as adornments. Similar rosette discs, like those recovered from the Ramesside Period palace at Qantir, were used as decorative elements in royal palaces. -
Phoenician Bronze Scarab
Late 1st millennium B.C.Estimate: £400 - 600 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £200
Scaraboid with incised detailing to the underside, with a central column depicting standing figures top and bottom, each flanked by two ankh symbols, and a central motif of a standing figure grasping a sceptre and winged serpent in each hand. 6.54 grams, 17 mm
From an early 20th century Home Counties, UK, collection. -
Egyptian Faience Bead and Amulet Group
Late Period, 664-332 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £104
Comprising tubular and annular beads in blue, green and cream colours, the upper half of two Tawaret amulets, a fragmentary wedjat eye, the lower half of a seated figure, probably Isis, and a complete amulet of the god Shu. 22 grams total, 2-21 mm
From an early 20th century Home Counties, UK, collection.
