Romano-Egyptian Faience and Other Bead Necklace String

Piriform jar with wide, flat rim and short neck, narrow neck and flat base. 1.2 kg, 15.5 cm



Ex Becker collection, 1920s. Private collection, Los Angeles, USA, 1990s. Private European collection. Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D’Amato. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12576-232111.

Three forms of serpentine were mainly used by the ancient Egyptians for stone vessels: a) green or grey serpentine with black veins; b) translucent green serpentine with black patches; c) granular black serpentine with intermixed grey or brown granules. Type a) Serpentine, i.e. the green or grey one with black veins, has the longer time range, and was used for vessels from the Predynastic Period (Naqada II) through the New Kingdom. It was used for stone vessels, but also became common for statuettes and small toilet vessels. The class of green glazed kohl pots, many with carved or openwork decoration which are usually called ‘glazed steatite’ were more likely to be made of serpentine. The type here represented is a form known in the New Kingdom: a bag-shaped jar with neck, flat base, and wide thin rim. Similar vessels have been found in Thebes, Amarna, Kahun, among the other localities.

Comprising: a face bead; two rectangular wedjat-eye beads with black detailing; an amulet depicting the Deshret crown of Lower Egypt; two seated baboon amulets; an amulet of a standing figure, possibly Sekhmet; a scaraboid with a small raised head. 4.93 grams total, 10-20 mm



From a 20th century UK collection.

Anatomical detailing on the carapace and pierced longitudinally; underside with a reclining hare and two hieroglyphs. 3.07 grams, 19 mm



From the private collection of a European gentleman (1942-2024), formed since the 1970s.

The Egyptian hare, Cape Hare, was associated with the goddess Wenut, whose name means the 'swift one'.