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LOT 0519
Egyptian Silver Fly Amulet
LATE PERIOD, 664-332 B.C.
3/4 in. (0.98 grams, 18 mm).
Formed as a fly with long triangular segmented wings, segmented body and domed eyes pierced for suspension. [No Reserve]
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.
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AUCTIONS:
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Large Egyptian Faience Amulet of the Goddess Isis
Late Period-Ptolemaic Period, 664-30 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £1,170
The goddess dressed in a long tight-fitting tunic to her ankles, standing with her left leg forward, her straight arms descending to her thighs; vulture headgear surmounted two long feathers; dorsal pillar with hieroglyphic text; repaired. 50 grams, 14 cm
Private collection Mr E. Saad, Cairo, Egypt-Montreux, Switzerland, 1970s. Ex private collection of Mr S.A., acquired from Mr Saad in 1997.
In ancient Egyptian mythology, Isis was the sister-wife of Osiris and the mother of the sky god Horus. She is associated with aspects of fertility and motherhood. This amulet unusually depicts her with a two-plumed crown, which may associate her with the goddess Sothis. -
Egyptian Multi-Stranded Faience Mummy Bead Necklace
Late Period, 664-332 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £234
Multi-stranded designer necklace composed of beads of mainly annular and tubular types. 21 grams, 72 cm long
Acquired before 1979. From the private collection of Mr F.A., South Kensington, London, UK; thence by descent 2014.
For thousands of years, artisans in Egypt created vibrant ceramics to echo the beauty of rare jewels. These ornaments were created with almost every material, colour, and texture imaginable and they come from across Egypt and beyond: vibrant blue lapis lazuli from Afghanistan, glossy black obsidian from Turkey, and aqua-green turquoise from the Sinai. They were worn in life and, after death, they served as precious ornamentation for mummies. -
Egyptian Glass Phial Group
1st millennium B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £59
Each is a tapering bulb shape with a flat-cut mouth. 13.8 grams total, 35-37 mm
From the collection of Mr S.M., London, UK, formed from 1979-1999.
