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LOT 0462
Egyptian Silver Fly Amulet
LATE PERIOD, 664-332 B.C.
3/4 in. (0.94 grams, 19 mm).
With detailing to the body and head, ribbed suspension loop above the head. [No Reserve]
ProvenanceEx London, UK, gentleman, 1990s.
LiteratureCf. Andrews, C., Amulets of Ancient Egypt, London, 1994, pp.62-3.
FootnotesFly 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.
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:
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Egyptian Glazed Faience New Year Flask with Baboons
Late Period, 664-332 B.C.Estimate: £2,000 - 3,000 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £1,000
Lentoid body with segmented collars and blue detailing around the shoulders, neck with papyrus stalk detailing and a domed rim; addorsed stylised baboons flanking the neck. 263 grams, 16 cm
Acquired on the UK art market, 1990s. Private collection, New York, USA. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.13350-255452.
The concept of renewal is expressed through the form, decoration, and inscriptions of this type of flask. Their rounded bodies evoke the sun disc, symbolising daily rebirth, while the squatting baboons flanking the mouth allude to those that greeted the rising sun each morning. The blue collar decoration, including floral motifs, as seen here, symbolises the renewal of the agricultural cycle through the annual Nile inundation. The papyrus-capital spout reinforces this theme of regeneration. Although traditionally dated exclusively to the 26th Dynasty, examples recovered from Late Period and early Ptolemaic contexts indicate that their popularity actually endured for several centuries. -
Egyptian Silver Poppy Amulets
New Kingdom-Late Period, 1550-332 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £117
Matched pair of amulets with a long cylindrical neck and a spherical body, with a ribbed suspension loop above. 2.12 grams total, 15-16 mm
Ex London, UK, collection, 1920s-1940s. Accompanied by a previously illustrated catalogue card with provenance.
Amulets in the form of poppies were used to heal and alleviate pain. These types of amulets were also linked to Osiris, the Egyptian deity of agriculture, death, and the afterlife. -
Phoenician Green Stone Scarab with Man Fighting Lion
5th-4th century B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £312
Modelled with incised detailing, pierced longitudinally, the underside with a bearded king in Assyrian attire, wearing a long, striated garment and tall headdress, grasping the forelegs of a rearing lion, its head turned back, a star above. 2.63 grams, 18 mm
Private collection, 1990s-early 2000s.
The motif of the Egyptian king overcoming an enemy, whether human or animal, is well attested in the New Kingdom and was later adopted by non-Egyptian artisans for scarabs and seals.
