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LOT 0441
Egyptian Silver Poppy Amulet Group
LATE-PTOLEMAIC PERIOD, 664-30 B.C.
5/8 - 3/4 in. (3.67 grams total, 17-19 mm).
Three pendants each with poppy-head and loop at the apex. [3, No Reserve]
ProvenanceFrom 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.
Cf. Andrews, C., Amulets of Ancient Egypt, London, 1994, pl.65 (n).
FootnotesAmulets in the form of poppies were used to heal and alleviate pain and to ward off death. These types of amulets were also linked to Osiris, the Egyptian deity of agriculture, death, and the afterlife.
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 Hardstone Scarab
Late Period, 664-332 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £572
With detailed clypeus and head, raised ridge separating the wing case, resting on an oval base with plain underside. 10.1 grams, 27 mm
From the property of a London, UK, gentleman, 1970-2000s. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
The scarab, which represented the dung beetle, was the most popular amulet in ancient Egypt for approximately two thousand years until the Ptolemaic Period when it gradually fell out of favour. The popularity of scarabs extended beyond the borders of Egypt, and they were also distributed and produced in other regions, such as Phoenicia and Israel. The beetle is named khepri, derived from the verb 'to come into existence', and was considered the embodiment of the creator god Khepri, who was self-engendered. The ancient Egyptians mistakenly believed that the young beetle emerging from the dung ball was the result of an act of self-creation. -
Egyptian Schist Plate
Ptolemaic Period, 323-30 B.C.Estimate: £800 - 1,000 (‡+bp*)
Opening Bid: £360
Discoid palette with rounded underside and flat base, dished central field, flat rim with four radiating trapezoidal projections. 450 grams, 16.4 cm
Acquired in the mid 1980s-1990s. Private collection, Switzerland, thence by descent. Private collection, since the late 1990s. Accompanied by a copy of an Art Loss Register certificate no.S00038135. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato. -
Egyptian Diorite Stone Scarab
Saite Period, 664-525 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £156
Carved in the round with detailed carapace and legs; not pierced. 8.22 grams, 21 mm
Acquired in the mid 1980s-1990s. Private collection, Switzerland, thence by descent. Private collection, since the late 1990s. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
The scarab amulet was arguably the most ubiquitous symbol in ancient Egypt, representing rebirth, transformation, and protection. Modelled after the scarab beetle, which was associated with the sun god Khepri, believed to roll the sun across the sky, the amulet illustrated the cycle of life and regeneration. Scarabs were commonly placed with the deceased as funerary amulets to ensure safe passage into the afterlife. They also served as seals and personal charms, often inscribed with prayers, names, or protective formulas. Widely used from the early Middle Kingdom (c. 2050 BCE) onwards, scarab amulets reflect spiritual beliefs and everyday practices in ancient Egyptian life.
