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LOT 0430
Egyptian Silver Snake Ring
1ST MILLENNIUM B.C.
1 in. (6.79 grams, 26.03 mm overall, 15.77 mm internal diameter (approximate size British J, USA 4 3/4, Europe 8.69, Japan 8)).
Comprising a round-section tapering body with intricate scale detailing, the head resting on the body, detailed face with closed mouth and rounded eyes, an applied gold annulet with two granules above the head; part of the tail absent.
ProvenanceEx Dr Leo Mildenberg, Zurich, 1990s.
Acquired by Galerie Rhéa, Zurich, from the above in 1999.
This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
Snake rings were not originally a traditional form in Egypt and only became common during the Ptolemaic and Roman Periods. Animal-shaped rings, including those with snake motifs, originated in Western Asia around the eighth century BC, spread to Greece by the fifth century BC, and were introduced to Egypt primarily through the Ptolemaic Period. In Greek culture, snakes were often linked to healing, though they likely carried other symbolic meanings as well.
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AUCTIONS:
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Egyptian Gold Goddess Bastet Cat Amulet
Late New Kingdom, 1070-900 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £468
Modelled seated on a tongue-shaped base, suspension loop on the back. 0.53 grams, 8 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.
The goddess Bastet was believed to be the daughter of the sun god and was shown with the features of a lion up until about 1000 B.C. when she was first portrayed as a cat or human with a cat head. As the daughter of Ra she was associated with the rage inherent in the sun god's eye which was considered to be his instrument of vengeance. Her development into a cat goddess occurred during the New Kingdom but did not fully develop until the Late Period. She was still associated with the destructive power of the sun and was shown on the prow of the solar boat, decapitating the evil serpent Apophis in the Book of the Dead. The maternal, protective and hunting characteristics of the cat are obvious in Bastet and she was seen as a protector of pregnant women and young children. In the Pyramid Texts she is invoked by the deceased king to act as his protector and to help him reach the sky to join the sun god; the king proclaims that Bastet is his mother and nurse. Like her counterpart, Sekhmet, Bastet has an aggressive side and, in a text from Karnak, Amenhotep II described his enemies being slaughtered like the victims of Bastet. The goddess had a shrine at Karnak, where she is known as the 'Lady of Asheru' which aligns her closely with the goddess Mut, the consort of Amun-Ra. Her most famous shrine was in the north-east Delta region, at Bubastis, and was known as Per-Bastet or 'the House of Bastet.' Herodotus describes the festival of Bastet as one of the most elaborate in all of Egypt and identifies her with the Greek Artemis. Cemeteries of cats have been excavated at Bubastis and at Saqqara and Memphis. -
Phoenicio-Egyptian Black Stone Scaraboid with Lions
6th century B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £910
With gusset to the sidewall and incuse design to the underside of opposed winged lions each with one forepaw raised. 14.5 grams, 28 mm
Ex collection of the late Mr S. M., London, UK, 1970-1990s. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
Phoenician scarabs with winged lions were often used as guardian figures, much like Mesopotamian lamassu or Egyptian sphinxes. On amulets and seals, they likely served as apotropaic (evil-averting) symbols. In Phoenician and Persian art, hybrid creatures like winged lions reflect a cosmopolitan visual language, blending Egyptian, Assyrian, and Achaemenid motifs. They could symbolise imperial power or transcultural authority. In some cases, winged lions are linked to deities or divine guardianship, especially when shown flanking sacred symbols like trees, thrones, or sun discs. -
Egyptian Cut-Glass Horus Amulet
1st millennium B.C.Estimate: £300 - 400 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £150
Modelled in the round, a falcon perched on a rectangular base, with a pierced lug between the shoulders. 3.3 grams, 21 mm
UK private collection before 2000. Acquired on the UK art market. Private collection, London. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
Falcon amulets in ancient Egypt symbolised protection, kingship, and divine power. Often associated with the god Horus, the falcon represented the sky, the sun, and the living pharaoh. These amulets were typically placed with the deceased to ensure protection in the afterlife and to invoke the strength and watchfulness of Horus. Worn in life or death, falcon amulets reflected royal authority and divine guardianship.
