Loading, please wait...

Use mousewheel to zoom in and out, click to enlarge

Details

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.

Provenance

Ex 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.

Footnotes

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.

CONDITION

VETTING:

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.

LOT 0430

Egyptian Silver Snake Ring

Sold for (Inc. bp): £910

Print page

RELATED LOTS

  • Egyptian Predynastic Globular Flask
    Egyptian Predynastic Globular Flask
    Naqada II, 3500-3150 B.C.

    Sold for (Inc. bp): £1,040

    A globular-shaped body with a disc base, short neck, and everted rim at the mouth; featuring a burnished red wash surface. 925 grams, 21 cm



    Private collection. with Bonhams, London, 22 September 1998, no.130. European private collection. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

    Lot Details

  • Egyptian Faience Bead Necklace String
    Egyptian Faience Bead Necklace String
    Late Period, 664-332 B.C.

    Sold for (Inc. bp): £33

    Composed of light blue tubular beads interspersed with darker coloured annular beads; restrung. 8.7 grams total, 101 cm long



    Acquired on the UK art market, circa 1980. Property of an East London, UK, collector. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

    Lot Details

  • Egyptian Bronze Figure of Isis and Horus
    Egyptian Bronze Figure of Isis and Horus
    Late Period, 664-332 B.C.

    Estimate: £1,000 - 1,400 (‡+bp*)

    Opening Bid: £450

    Isis enthroned wearing a cow's horn headdress with a solar disc fronted by uraeus, suckling the infant Horus on her lap; Horus with a side-lock of youth. 73.4 grams, 68 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.

    In ancient Egyptian mythology, Isis was the sister-wife of Osiris and the mother of the sky god Horus. She is associated with aspects of fertility and motherhood and is often depicted in various artworks seated in a nursing pose with her son Horus on her lap, as here.

    Lot Details

Stay up-to-date with the latest from TimeLine Auctions by joining our mailing list