Phoenician Inscribed Bronze Scaraboid Seal

Fragment of a statue of an official, comprising the torso and legs clad in an ankle-length robe and seated on a rectangular-section seat with stepped base and short, curved backrest and rear dorsal pillar; the left hand carved with the palm resting along the thigh; the right hand similarly placed but with the hand gripping a folded piece of cloth of which the ends are draped over the lower thigh above the knee; traces of an old label to reverse. 4.1 kg, 18.7 cm



Private collection, Europe. with Bonhams & Brooks, 8th November 2001, no.265. Private collection, Europe. Accompanied by copies of the relevant Bonhams & Brooks 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.12584-232097.

The official would have been shown wearing a longer cloak-like garment rather than a waist-height kilt, as the line of the folded edge is visible above where a waistband would typically be.

Conical in profile with a wide base and a shallow interior hollow; inscription in a darker blue glaze, consisting of a single line of demotic-script text. 57 grams, 62 mm



Mariaud de Serres, Drouot, Paris, 1999. with Christie’s, New York, 5-6 December 2001, no.354. Accompanied by copies of the relevant Christie's catalogue pages.

Demotic script was an ancient Egyptian writing system that was used from approximately the 7th century B.C. to the 4th century A.D. It represented a more simplified and cursive form of writing compared to hieroglyphs and hieratic script. Demotic text was employed for a wide range of purposes in ancient Egypt, including administrative, legal, religious, and literary documents. Deciphering Demotic has played a pivotal role in enhancing our understanding of ancient Egyptian culture, history, and everyday life.

Comprising a group of crumb-decorated polychrome oblate beads and a centrepiece pendant formed as a stylised bearded head. 179 grams total, 12-42 mm



From the collection of a gentleman, acquired on the London art market in the 1990s.

The Phoenicians, renowned seafarers and traders, were also skilled glassworkers. They produced a wide variety of glass beads using core-forming and winding techniques, with vivid colours and elaborate designs that reflect both technical mastery and cross-cultural influence. Among the most iconic Phoenician beads are glass 'head' beads, crafted in the form of stylised human or mythological faces. Typically, they feature exaggerated facial details like bulging eyes, large noses, beards, and headdresses, often with expressive or comic features. They were possibly worn as amulets to ward off evil or attract protection, though they may also represent deities, ancestors, or foreigners. These beads often incorporate Egyptian, Greek, and Near Eastern stylistic elements, reflecting the Phoenicians’ extensive trade networks.