Loading, please wait...

Use mousewheel to zoom in and out, click to enlarge

Details

LOT 0041

Phoenician Scarab Seal for Belonging to H-N-N (The Merciful)

CIRCA 800-400 B.C.

3/4 in. (4.76 grams, 20 mm).

Accompanied by an old scholarly note, typed and signed by W.G. Lambert, late Professor of Assyriology, University of Birmingham, 1970-1993, which states: 'Stamp Seal of Chalcedony/Carnelian 14.5 x 20 x 10 mm. This s a scarab on a flat base, the insect nicely modelled, and the seal design on the flat base is contained within a linear border. It shows a prancing lion above a fallen bull and there is an inscription in the West Semitic alphabet [three characters] l-h-n-n Property of H-n-n. This is a Phoenician seal, exact date not easy to fix but c.800-400 B.C. is the likely range. The seal, which is not pierced, is chipped around the edges but otherwise in very good condition.'

Provenance

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 to present.

This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12634-233894.
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.

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 0041

Phoenician Scarab Seal for Belonging to H-N-N (The Merciful)

Estimate £3,500 - 4,500€4,060 - 5,220 (for guidance only)$4,730 - 6,080 (for guidance only)

Print page

RELATED LOTS

  • Egyptian Faience Scarab Wing Pair
    Egyptian Faience Scarab Wing Pair
    Late Period, 664-332 B.C.

    Sold for (Inc. bp): £143

    Each flat-section with a band of feathers within the border, two attachment holes. 15 grams total, 43-44 mm



    From the private collection of the late Julian Bird, UK, formed since the 1970s. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

    These wings were once part of a central scarab amulet. Winged scarabs often served as funerary adornments and were believed to symbolise the rebirth and regeneration of the deceased.

    Lot Details

  • Egyptian Mummy Shroud Section with Hieratic Text
    Egyptian Mummy Shroud Section with Hieratic Text
    Late-Ptolemaic Period, circa 480-30 B.C.

    Sold for (Inc. bp): £910

    A rectangular section of woven linen textile featuring four lines of neat hieratic text in black. 8 grams, 32 cm



    From the collection of a gentleman, acquired on the London art market in the 1990s. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

    From the fifth century B.C., mummy wrappings for the affluent frequently display lines of hieratic script—a cursive variant of Egyptian hieroglyphs used for both daily and religious writings. These often include excerpts from funerary texts like the Book of the Dead, along with prayers and invocations designed to safeguard and guide the deceased in the afterlife. These texts, sometimes accompanied by vignettes, were inscribed directly on the linen strips before or during the mummification process. Some of these bandages could be remarkably long; one example from Brussels, measuring only 6.2 cm in width, spans an incredible 26 metres.

    Lot Details

  • Egyptian Turquoise Glazed Seated Harpocrates
    Egyptian Turquoise Glazed Seated Harpocrates
    Late Period, 26th Dynasty, circa 664-525 B.C.

    Estimate: £500 - 700 (+bp*)

    Opening Bid: £250

    The god in a semi-seated pose with sidelock and uraeus; mounted on a custom-made stand. 10 grams total, 52 mm including stand



    Collection de Son Excellence Mandou Riaz (1895-1963). Archéologie, François de Ricqlès, Paris, 11-12 November 2001, no.186. Private collection, London, UK, acquired from the above sale. Accompanied by a copy of the François de Ricqlès invoice. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

    While the semi-seated pose of the figurine may imply that it was part of a composite statuette, possibly featuring a separately modelled throne or seated on the lap of his mother, Isis, independent amulets with suspension loops depicting the god in this pose are also prevalent. Harpocrates is the Greek rendering of the Egyptian Hor-pa-khered, which translates as ‘Horus the Child’. This designation refers to Horus as the divine infant of Isis and Osiris. Wearing the amulet of Harpocrates could grant the wearer the same protection that Isis provided to her beloved son.

    Lot Details

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