Romano-Egyptian Bronze Tortoise Statuette

The goddess seated on a throne and wearing a vulture headdress with her hieroglyph above, the infant god Horus with Sidelock of Youth being nursed on her knee; turquoise glaze. 4.25 grams, 40 mm



Acquired in Europe before 1992.

In ancient Egyptian belief, the image of Isis suckling her son Horus was a potent symbol of rebirth. The goddess sits on the throne (which was the hieroglyphic form of her name).

Comprising a large fragment with a vertical band (clavus) from a garment, woven in linen and green, blue, yellow and red wool, embroidered with circular patterns filled with vegetal figures and arabesques, alternating with two parallel rows of running animals (hounds?), edged by a red border, a further band of foliage decoration. 163 grams, 59 x 24.5 cm



Acquired 1970s-1996. Property of a North American collector. London collection, 2016.

Tapestry technique on natural linen. It is highly probable that this tapestry was part of a long decorated tunic, a clavus running vertically on the breast and on the back of it, and having a parallel clavus on the other side. Tunic decoration conformed to a specific layout with the back mirroring the front. Matching bands called clavi ran on either side of the neck. They could be full length, like our specimen, or stop above the waistline.

The goddess modelled seated in anthropomorphic form, nursing her infant son Horus and wearing the horned crown; repaired; mounted on a 1920s type custom-made display stand. 360 grams total, 18 cm including stand



Acquired 1970s onwards. Private collection of Michael O'Hara, Cambridgeshire, UK. Ex private collection of Benjamin Hyde-Smith, Hertfordshire, UK.

Isis was the wife of the god Osiris and the mother of Horus; symbolically she was thus mother to the pharaoh. The abundance of statuettes of Isis in this pose attest to her role as a life-giver and protector in ancient Egyptian belief systems.