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LOT 0053
Romano-Egyptian Limestone Stele of a Nobleman Holding an Offering to the Gods
3RD-4TH CENTURY A.D.
32 1/4 in. (50 kg, 81.5 cm).
Modelled in the half-round as a man standing on an integral plinth, round face with short curly hair, wide eyes, a slender nose and a small mouth; wearing a Greek himation wrapped around his body and feet enclosed in Romano-Egyptian sandals; the left arm lowered and holding a cluster of grapes; his right arm bent at the elbow and holding a roll; remains of red and dark brown pigment on the face and clothing.
ProvenanceProperty of a Surrey lady; acquired by her father Christopher Terry circa 1980.
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 search certificate number no.12603-233353.
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.
Cf. Ashour, S., ‘Unpublished Group of Bahnasa Reliefs’ in Archaeological & Historical Studies 13, Alexandria, 2010, pp.65-106, figs.5, 7, for similar stele.
FootnotesLimestone niches with polychrome representations of the deceased were common in Roman Egypt, and lasted until the time of the Arab conquest. The man depicted on this stele certainly belonged to the high contemporary nobility as is evidenced by his well-pleated clothing, which identifies him as a member of local Graeco-Roman aristocracy.
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AUCTIONS:
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LOT 0053
Romano-Egyptian Limestone Stele of a Nobleman Holding an Offering to the Gods
Sold for (Inc. bp): £3,640
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Phoenician Green Stone Scarab with Three-Headed Gryllos
6th-4th century B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £2,730
With carapace detailing to the convex face; underside with gryllos of a bearded male, a slender female and a boar. 6.94 grams, 28 mm
Ex collection of the late Mr S. M., London, UK, 1970-1990s. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12635-234910. 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.
Grylli motifs usually combine various human and animal heads, sometimes including animal legs. -
Egyptian Silver Snake Ring
1st millennium B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £910
Comprising a round-section tapering body with intricate scale detailing, the head resting on the body, detailed face with closed mouth and rounded eyes, an applied gold annulet with two granules above the head; part of the tail absent. 6.79 grams, 26.03 mm overall, 15.77 mm internal diameter (approximate size British J, USA 4 3/4, Europe 8.69, Japan 8)
Ex Dr Leo Mildenberg, Zurich, 1990s. Acquired by Galerie Rhéa, Zurich, from the above in 1999. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
Snake rings were not originally a traditional form in Egypt and only became common during the Ptolemaic and Roman Periods. Animal-shaped rings, including those with snake motifs, originated in Western Asia around the eighth century BC, spread to Greece by the fifth century BC, and were introduced to Egypt primarily through the Ptolemaic Period. In Greek culture, snakes were often linked to healing, though they likely carried other symbolic meanings as well. -
Egyptian Alabaster Bowl with Thickened Rim
3rd millennium B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £156
Comprising a squat conical body with narrow foot, groove beneath the thickened rim. 177 grams, 82 mm
Acquired in the mid 1980s-1990s. Private collection, Switzerland, thence by descent. Private collection, since the late 1990s. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
One of the most prestigious materials the Egyptians extracted was alabaster, more correctly referred to as travertine or calcite-alabaster. From the 1st through 3rd Dynasties, stone vessels were very popular items to include in the burials of pharaohs and nobles. No fewer than 30,000 stone vessels were found in the labyrinthine galleries below Djoser’s Step Pyramid at Saqqara, and Egyptian alabaster was used to make hundreds of those vessels.
