Loading, please wait...

Use mousewheel to zoom in and out, click to enlarge

Details

LOT 0040

Large Egyptian Faience Amulet of the Goddess Isis

LATE PERIOD-PTOLEMAIC PERIOD, 664-30 B.C.

5 1/2 in. (50 grams, 14 cm).

The goddess dressed in a long tight-fitting tunic to her ankles, standing with her left leg forward, her straight arms descending to her thighs; vulture headgear surmounted two long feathers; dorsal pillar with hieroglyphic text; repaired.

Provenance

Private collection Mr E. Saad, Cairo, Egypt-Montreux, Switzerland, 1970s.
Ex private collection of Mr S.A., acquired from Mr Saad in 1997.

Footnotes

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. This amulet unusually depicts her with a two-plumed crown, which may associate her with the goddess Sothis.

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 0040

Large Egyptian Faience Amulet of the Goddess Isis

Estimate £1,200 - 1,700€1,390 - 1,970 (for guidance only)$1,620 - 2,300 (for guidance only)

Print page

RELATED LOTS

  • Egyptian Faience Shabti and Amulet Group
    Egyptian Faience Shabti and Amulet Group
    Late Period-Ptolemaic Period, 664-30 B.C.

    Sold for (Inc. bp): £78

    Two mummiform shabti figurines, one faded pale green and the other bright turquoise; one amuletic figurine, possibly of a ram or baboon-headed deity with sun disk headdress, applied black pigment detailing. 20 grams total, 41-65 mm



    From the H.N. collection, Milton Keynes, Berkshire, UK, 1990s.

    Shabti figures were created to carry out heavy manual tasks on behalf of a person in the afterlife. From the Third Intermediate Period into the Late Period burials were often provided with several hundred shabtis.

    Lot Details

  • Egyptian Hardstone Head Rest Amulet
    Egyptian Hardstone Head Rest Amulet
    Late Period, 664-332 B.C.

    Sold for (Inc. bp): £143

    Carved miniature headrest with rectangular base. 5.74 grams, 26 mm



    Old French collection. Acquired from Hotel des Ventes, Drouot, Paris, France, early 2000. From the collection of Mr D. Property of a French collector.

    The headrest, or weres amulet, was placed under the mummy's head to protect it from damage and ensure the deceased's rebirth.

    Lot Details

  • Egyptian Wooden Doll with Circular Decorations
    Egyptian Wooden Doll with Circular Decorations
    Coptic, 7th-11th centuries A.D. or later

    Sold for (Inc. bp): £117

    Flat anthropomorphic panel with incised ring-and-dot ornament to obverse, single central ring-and-dot to the reverse. 16 grams, 12.4 cm



    Acquired on the German art market, 1989-1995. with The Museum Gallery, 19 Bury Place, London, WC1A 2JB, 1998-2003. Property of a London based academic, 2003-present.

    In the late Roman Egypt or early Islamic period (7th–11th century A.D.) a new type of figurine appeared in the archaeological record: small, crudely crafted human figures made of bone. Some researchers considered them as toys meant to prepare girls for motherhood; others saw them as fertility figurines. They are mostly referred to as early Christian or “Coptic dolls”. In Egypt and Palestine they seem to appear suddenly in the 7th century, coinciding with the Arab conquests, but they might have existed earlier. With the new Muslim empire bridging former Roman and Sassanian lands, these dolls found their way to Egypt and Palestine where they were reproduced in huge numbers, becoming popular in all levels of society of the 8th and 9th century. By the end of the 11th century they disappeared as quickly as they appeared, probably because of restrictions placed on their production by Islamic laws.

    Lot Details

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