Loading, please wait...
Details
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.
Provenance
Property 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.
Literature
Cf. Ashour, S., ‘Unpublished Group of Bahnasa Reliefs’ in Archaeological & Historical Studies 13, Alexandria, 2010, pp.65-106, figs.5, 7, for similar stele.
Footnotes
Limestone 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.
CONDITIONVETTING:
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 0053
Romano-Egyptian Limestone Stele of a Nobleman Holding an Offering to the Gods
Sold for (Inc. bp): £3,640
RELATED LOTS
-
Egyptian Green Glazed Faience Amulet of a Seated Sphinx
Kushite Kingdom, 25th Dynasty, circa 747-656 B.C.Estimate: £1,000 - 1,400 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £500
Figure of a sphinx in seated pose on a tongue-shaped base, with loop between the shoulders and Nubian hairstyle. 17.48 grams total, 51 mm including stand
with Charles Ede Ltd, London, UK. Private collection, London, UK, acquired from the above on 28 April 1994. Accompanied by a copy of the Charles Ede invoice. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
The 'Nubian' hairstyle was worn by young women in connection with birth, nursing babies and applying cosmetics. -
.jpg)
Egyptian Silver Bezel for the 'Treasurer of the god, chief keeper (of) the House of Gold'
25th Dynasty, 754-656 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £2,080
Rectangular with sloping faces on the underside, the upper face with two lines of hieroglyphic inscription reading: ‘Treasurer of the god, chief keeper (of) the House of Gold, great (of) Ra, Pa-di-Ra son of Pa-khered-tawy (or Pa-shery-tawy)’. 2.56 grams, 12 mm
with Bonhams, London, 27 April 2006. with Galerie Rhéa, Zurich, Switzerland. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
The ‘Treasurer of the god’ is a long-attested title known since the Old Kingdom (Jones, D., An Index of Ancient Egyptian Titles, Epithets and Phrases of the Old Kingdom, vol. II, Oxford, 2000, p. 767, no. 2791). The ‘Chief keeper’ title is known from the New Kingdom (for a similar writing of the title, see Al-Ayedi, A.R., Index of Egyptian Administrative, Religious and Military Titles of the New Kingdom, Ismailia, 2006, p. 395, no. 1236). The last part of the title is somewhat curious; the determinative at the end, previously interpreted as ‘Ra’, does not match the determinative for this god in the second line. An alternative tentative interpretation could be ‘Chief keeper, of the gold of the Pharaoh’, treating the pr and ꜤꜢ signs, which are shown side-by-side, as writing ‘Pharaoh’, with the seated figure wearing the Dual Crown symbolising the ruler. -
.jpg)
Egyptian Brown Quartzite Baboon Animal Figurine
New Kingdom, circa 1550-1070 B.C.Estimate: £5,000 - 7,000 (‡+bp*)
Opening Bid: £2,250
Carved in a typical pose, sitting on its haunches with its tail curving around the right side, its front paws resting on its knees and protruding beneath its thick furry pelt, with incised detailing, its feet either side of the phallus, the head with bulbous, striated hair on either side, chipped, snout restored; seated on a high shrine-shaped plinth with squared front and rounded back, featuring a cavetto cornice and roll detailing on the upper part. 1.15 kg, 15 cm
From a deceased American estate, 1970-1989. with Bonham's, London, 28 October 2009, no.35. Accompanied by copies of the relevant Bonham's catalogue pages. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12368-226706. 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.
The baboon was an animal manifestation of the god Thoth, the patron deity of Hermopolis Magna, who was revered for his association with knowledge, writing, and healing.
