Loading, please wait...
Details
LOT 0407
Egyptian Silver Fly Amulet
LATE-PTOLEMAIC PERIOD, 664-30 B.C.
5/8 in. (0.82 grams, 17 mm).
With linear detailing to the body, raised eyes, pierced through the head for suspension. [No Reserve]
Provenance
From an early 20th century collection.
This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
Literature
Cf. Andrews, C., Amulets of Ancient Egypt, London, 1994, pp.62-3.
Footnotes
Egyptian artists often depicted fly whisks with pharaohs and officials, suggesting flies were just nuisances. In reality, Egyptians valued flies for their speed and persistence. Small fly amulets appeared around 3200 B.C. in Naqada II burials, gaining popularity and varying materials during the New Kingdom, including gold, silver, lapis lazuli, carnelian, amethyst, faience, and gemstones. These amulets were thought to protect against insect bites and troublesome creatures via apotropaic magic and possibly symbolised fecundity. Pharaohs awarded gold fly-shaped pendants to honour soldiers' bravery in battle.
CONDITIONVETTING:
TimeLine 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.
RELATED LOTS
-
Egyptian Silver Bastet as Seated Cat Amulet
Late-Ptolemaic Period, 664-30 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £715
Seated figure of a cat with pointed ears mounted on a rectangular base with a rounded end; suspension loop on the back. 0.34 grams, 8 mm
From an early 20th century collection. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
The cat was sacred to Bastet, a protective mother goddess and the daughter of the sun god Re. Amulets offered the wearer the goddess's protection. Her name means ‘she of the bast [ointment jar],’ which may have contained a substance favoured by or exclusive to royalty. Originally, Bastet was depicted as a woman with the head of a lioness, but by the late New Kingdom, she was usually shown with a cat's head. She is sometimes portrayed with kittens, emphasising her maternal role as a fierce protector of offspring. -
Egyptian Jasper Lion-Headed Cobra Amulet in Gold Frame
New Kingdom, circa 1550-1070 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £1,895
The S-curved body resting on a tongue-shaped based, detailed hood, and delicate details to the head of a lioness; wrapped in a gold frame with suspension loop. 2 grams, 18 mm
Private collection of Mr K.A. Private collection, Europe, 26 June 2009. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12590-232325. This lot has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database, and is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
This amulet likely represents a goddess, either Sekhmet or Wadjet. Sekhmet is typically depicted as a lioness or lion-headed woman, while Wadjet appears in the form of a cobra. The lion-headed cobra form can be an allusion to the uraeus, worn on the crowns of royalty and deities for protection. -
Egyptian Gold Uraeus Amulet
Late New Kingdom, 1279-1070 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £286
Depicting a rearing hooded cobra with curled body, small loop above and below. 1.1 grams, 17 mm
From an early 20th century French collection. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.