Phoenician Painted Terracotta Wine Jug

Light blue faience mummiform shabti with details added in black line, adorned with a tripartite wig and collar, and the arms crossed over the chest with hands holding a pick and hoe, seed bag and water pots, the back decorated with a curved yoke with pots and a brick mould; a central panel of hieroglyphs on the lower half of the figure giving the dedication: sḥḏ wsı͗r ḳnw ḫꜤs mꜢꜤ ḫrw, ‘The illuminated one, the Osiris Qenu-khayes, true of voice’. 152 grams, 13 cm



Formerly in North American collection, 1990s. From the collection of a London, UK, gentleman.

Circular in plan with smoothed faces, pierced through the edge. 238 grams, 13.3 cm



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

Palettes were utilitarian objects used in the Predynastic Period to grind and mix mineral-based eye pigments (including ochre, malachite, and haematite). Greywacke cosmetic palettes were easily carved in various shapes and sizes, including zoomorphic representations and geometric forms. The symbolism of this circular palette may be connected to the sun disc, which featured prominently in ancient Egyptian culture. The palette was so significant in Predynastic society that purely ceremonial versions, often impractically large for their original purpose, were produced for use in temple rituals. The most famous is the highly decorated Narmer Palette discovered at Hierakonpolis.

Of mummiform type, wearing a tripartite wig, stylised facial features with large ears, hands crossed at the chest; a contrasting green-glazed frontal column of hieroglyphic text with a cartouche which reads wsỉr nswt wrt Ꜣst-nfr.t, ‘The Osiris, the great king's wife Iset-nofret’. 88 grams, 10.8 cm



Acquired 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. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12373-226026.

Several late New Kingdom queens were named Iset-nofret, but this particular example is likely associated with one of the two wives of Ramesses II who had the same name. One of these queens gave birth to Prince Khaemwaset and is mentioned on monuments erected by him. While it is possible that the queen's shabtis were used for funerary purposes, Khaemwaset is known to have placed his own shabtis as votives in non-sepulchral locations in the Memphite necropolises, and it is possible that he also did the same with shabtis naming his mother. For a discussion of the Ramesside queens with this name, see Tyldesley, J., Chronicle of the Queens of Egypt, London, 2006, p.154ff.