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LOT 0506
Egyptian Silver Fly Amulet
LATE PERIOD, 664-332 B.C.
1 in. (2.15 grams, 24 mm).
With detailing to wings and eyes, loop for suspension above the head. [No Reserve]
ProvenanceFrom the collection of a London, UK, gentleman, 1990s.
LiteratureCf. Andrews, C., Amulets of Ancient Egypt, London, 1994, pp.62-3.
FootnotesConsidering that Egyptian artists often depicted fly whisks in the hands of pharaohs and high officials, one might assume that flies were merely a nuisance. However, the Egyptians held flies in high regard for their speed, quick reactions, and persistence. Small fly amulets first appeared in burials during the Naqada II Period, around 3200 B.C. These amulets gained popularity and were crafted from various materials such as gold, silver, lapis lazuli, carnelian, amethyst, faience, and bone. These amulets were believed to protect against insect bites and to ward off troublesome flying creatures through apotropaic magic. Some believe they may have even symbolised the fly’s fecundity. Additionally, pharaohs would bestow gold fly-shaped pendants as military awards to honour the bravery and persistence of soldiers in battle.
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Large Romano-Egyptian Terracotta Figure of Baubo
Ptolemaic Period, 332-30 B.C.Estimate: £800 - 1,000 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £400
Modelled as a seated plump female figure; the right hand touching the pubic area beneath the rounded abdomen, wearing a tall headdress of thick braids, falling on her shoulders, smooth back with a vent hole; chipped at left foot and arm. 373 grams, 15.5 cm
with Superior Galleries, Los Angeles, USA. Ex Dr W. Benson Harer, Los Angeles, USA, March 1985.
Baubo was a minor divinity of the Greek mythology, linked to the cult of Demeter and Persephone. The statuette belongs to the second type of Baubo figurines, widespread in the last Ptolemaic and Roman period in Egypt. The Egyptian Baubo figures are split into two groups, and this one belongs to the first group depicting a woman seating frontally whilst holding a musical instrument. In some of these figurines her right hand is touching her genitalia. Many of them were used as amulets or as ex-voto. -
Egyptian Bronze Ibis Attachment
Late Period, 664-332 B.C. or laterSold for (Inc. bp): £156
Modelled in the round squatting on an ellipsoid base, lug to the underside, repaired. 114 grams, 60 mm
From the collection of a gentleman, acquired on the London art market in the 1990s.
The ibis, particularly the sacred species known as the Egyptian ibis (Threskiornis aethiopicus), held a prominent place in ancient Egyptian religion and culture as a manifestation of the god Thoth. Revered as the deity of wisdom, writing, and knowledge, Thoth was often depicted in human form with the head of an ibis. During the Late Period onwards, the practice of mummifying ibises became widespread, leading to the creation of vast necropolises dedicated to these sacred birds. In places like Saqqara and Hermopolis, thousands of ibis mummies have been discovered in specially constructed catacombs. The mummification of these birds was not merely a ritual act; it was seen as a sacred offering to Thoth, meant to honour the god and seek his favour. Egyptians believed that by preserving the ibis through mummification, they could ensure its safe passage to the afterlife, establishing a direct connection between the earthly realm and the divine. These mummies were often accompanied by votive offerings, like this bronze figurine, further emphasising the relationship between the ibises and Thoth. -
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Egyptian Carnelian Eye of Horus
New Kingdom, 1550-1295 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £2,080
Plano-convex in section with incised bilinear borders. 3.08 grams, 22 mm
Ex early 20th century collection of a lady. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.13045-248616.
The wedjat-eye amulet is a representation of the healed eye of the god Horus, featuring both human and falcon elements. The name Wedjat in ancient Egyptian means ‘the one that is sound.’ According to Egyptian mythology, Horus' eye was wounded or taken by the god Seth and restored by Thoth. The wedjat-eye amulet was thought to protect its wearer and bestow the power of recovery and regeneration onto them. It was very popular and used by both the living and the dead.
