Egypto-Phoenician Glass Scaraboid with Beast-Tamer

Banded agate scaraboid with openwork gold frame, tubular suspension loop, triangular clusters of granules to the edge; Phoenician or Achaemenid. 4.20 grams, 21 mm



Acquired in the mid 1980s-1990s. Private collection, Switzerland, thence by descent. Private collection, since the late 1990s.

Carved in a typical pose, sitting on its haunches with its tail curving around the right side, its front paws resting on its knees and protruding beneath its thick furry pelt, with incised detailing, its feet either side of the phallus, the head with bulbous, striated hair on either side, chipped, snout restored; seated on a high shrine-shaped plinth with squared front and rounded back, featuring a cavetto cornice and roll detailing on the upper part. 1.15 kg, 15 cm



From a deceased American estate, 1970-1989. with Bonham's, London, 28 October 2009, no.35. Accompanied by copies of the relevant Bonham's catalogue pages. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12368-226706.

The baboon was an animal manifestation of the god Thoth, who was revered for his association with knowledge, writing, and healing.

Plano-convex in section with detailed obverse, the underside with the figure of Bes flanked by adoring baboons and sun discs. 10.7 grams, 31 mm



Ex London, UK collection, 1990s.

Bes became one of ancient Egypt's most popular apotropaic deities from the New Kingdom onwards. Despite his somewhat fearful appearance, Bes was the patron and protector of pregnant women and children and believed to protect the wearer from snakes. The depiction of baboons flanking Bes with their arms raised before the sun disk was a common feature on temple wall reliefs. In ancient Egyptian religious literature, baboons heralded the dawn and, thus, the rebirth of the sun.