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LOT 0482
Large Egyptian Gilt Bronze Head of Osiris
LATE PERIOD, 664-525 B.C.
4 1/2 in. (199 grams, 11.4 cm).
Modelled in the round wearing the atef crown (hedjet with lateral ostrich feathers) and uraeus to the brow with tail extending up the crown, detailed false beard with coiled finial; eyes recessed to accept inlays; tip of crown missing.
ProvenanceAcquired on the German art market, 1989-1995.
with The Museum Gallery, 19 Bury Place, London, WC1, UK, 1998-2003.
Property of a London based academic, 2003-present.
Cf. Daressy, G., Catalogue général des antiquités égyptiennes du Musée du Caire N° 38001-39384 Statues de divinités, Cairo, 1906, pl. XVI, no. 38.261, for complete statuette with comparable head.
FootnotesOsiris is a deity who represents death and fertility and is commonly regarded as the quintessential god of rebirth. Though he was once a mortal ruler, as a deceased entity, his domain was the Underworld. Abydos was the primary centre of Osiris’ cult, where a renowned yearly celebration of the god was held. This head comes from a once sizeable statuette of the god.
CONDITIONTimeLine 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
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