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LOT 0010
Large Egyptian Bronze Wepwawet Amulet
THIRD INTERMEDIATE-LATE PERIOD, 1069-332 B.C.
3 1/2 in. (4 5/8 in.) (54 grams, 91 mm (162 grams total, 11.7 cm including stand )).
Showing the jackal deity Wepwawet standing with ears pricked on a sledge, the slender body modelled with long legs and a tail, suspension loop on the back; two rearing cobras before the jackal; mounted on a custom-made display stand.
ProvenanceEx Dr R. and Mrs L.B., Zumikon, Switzerland.
with Galerie Rhéa, Zurich, Switzerland.
This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12627-236406.
This lot has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database, and is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
Cf. Roeder, G., Ägyptische Bronzefiguren II, Berlin, 1956, pl. 49v, for a similar slender-bodied Wepwawet with rearing cobras and top suspension loop; Tiribilli, E., The bronze figurines of the Petrie Museum from 2000 BC to AD 400, GHP Egyptology 28, London, 2018, p. 182, no. 255, for a similar example with double cobras.
FootnotesWepwawet, meaning "Opener of the Ways," was an ancient Egyptian god associated primarily with warfare, protection, and funerary practices. Depicted as a jackal or a man with a jackal's head—often mistaken for Anubis—Wepwawet was believed to guide souls through the afterlife and open paths both in battle and in the spiritual realm.
He originated in Asyut (ancient Lycopolis) in Upper Egypt and was one of the oldest deities in the Egyptian pantheon, with worship dating back to at least the First Dynasty (c. 3100–2900 BCE). Over time, Wepwawet became closely linked to Anubis, and the two were sometimes conflated, though Wepwawet retained his distinct identity as a god who preceded and cleared the way.
In military contexts, Wepwawet was invoked to "open the way" for pharaohs and armies, ensuring victory and safe passage. In funerary texts, he was described as clearing the path to the afterlife, acting as a scout or guide for the deceased.
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LOT 0010
Large Egyptian Bronze Wepwawet Amulet
Estimate £4,000 - 6,000€4,640 - 6,960 (for guidance only)$5,400 - 8,100 (for guidance only)
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Egyptian Silver Fly Amulet
Late-Ptolemaic Period, 664-30 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £78
With linear detailing to the body, raised eyes, pierced through the head for suspension. 0.82 grams, 17 mm
From 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.
Egyptian artists often depicted fly whisks with pharaohs and officials, suggesting flies were just nuisances. In reality, Egyptians valued flies for their speed and persistence. Small fly amulets appeared around 3200 B.C. in Naqada II burials, gaining popularity and varying materials during the New Kingdom, including gold, silver, lapis lazuli, carnelian, amethyst, faience, and gemstones. These amulets were thought to protect against insect bites and troublesome creatures via apotropaic magic and possibly symbolised fecundity. Pharaohs awarded gold fly-shaped pendants to honour soldiers' bravery in battle. -
Egyptian Plaque with Fertility Figure
Late-Ptolemaic Period, 664-31 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £910
Carved rectangular plaque with central recess, carved image of a nude female modelled in the half-round with a deeply striated bag wig, arms by her side; traces of red and black pigment on the body; mounted on a custom-made stand. 502 grams total, 17.1 cm including stand
From a central London collection, formed 1980-2000. From the private collection of Mr David Barker, London, UK; thence by descent. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
The rectangular limestone plaque almost certainly represents a shrine. Such plaques first appeared in Lower Egypt and became widespread in the Late Period and Ptolemaic era. They may have developed from earlier female figurines depicted on beds and are usually associated with the female goddesses Isis and Hathor, both powerful protectors of women and childbirth and associated with fertility. -
Historic Collection of 678 Slides of Archaeological Sites in Egypt
1960s-1980s A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £286
Housed in five linen-covered boxes, covering Tutankhamun furniture, Tombs of the Nobles, Lahun Hawara, Philae, and Nubia, etc. 4.1 kg total, 26.5 x 16.5 x 6.5 cm each box
Property of archaeologist Stephanie Gee, N.W. London, UK, 1960s-1980s. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
Stephanie Gee was a prominent archaeologist who took part in several expeditions in Egypt. She was a trusted assistant to the British-Australian archaeologist Veronica Seton-Williams, who excavated in Egypt, Britain, and the Near East. Stephanie also took part in the Tell El-Farâ'în expeditions of 1965-1968, and assisted Seton-Williams with preparing the 1966 expedition report. Their collaboration continued and Stephanie helped with the manuscript of Seton-Williams’ book ‘The Road to El-Aguzein’, a narrative account of her life that was first published in 1988.
