Loading, please wait...
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.
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 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. 23 grams, 78 cm
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 Black Stone Lipped Bowl
2nd-3rd Dynasty, 2860-2640 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £2,860
Shallow and broad in profile with carinated rim. 627 grams, 20 cm
From the private collection of Mr K.A., acquired in the 1990s-early 2000s. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12367-225768.
Stone vessels, made from various styles and types of stone, were commonly found in Early Dynastic and Old Kingdom tombs as funerary equipment. One of the most significant discoveries was the recovery of over 30,000 stone vessels in King Djoser's Step Pyramid complex. -
Gold Pendant with Agate Scaraboid
5th-3rd century B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £1,170
Banded agate scaraboid with openwork gold frame, tubular suspension loop, triangular clusters of granules to the edge; Phoenician or Achaemenid. 4.20 grams, 21 mm
Acquired in the mid 1980s-1990s. Private collection, Switzerland, thence by descent. Private collection, since the late 1990s.
