Origin: Egypt Circa: 1 st Century AD Dimensions: 13" (33.0cm) high x 6.5" (16.5cm) wide Collection: Egyptian Style: Roman Period Medium: Paint on Wood The so-called  More »

Origin: Egypt Circa: 1 st Century AD Dimensions: 13" (33.0cm) high x 6.5" (16.5cm) wide Collection: Egyptian Style: Roman Period Medium: Paint on Wood The so-called Faiyum portraits are the fascinating result of cultural fusion between indigenous Egyptian and invading Roman cultural styles. The Romans had a fascination with the longevity of Egyptian mummies and the immortality they promised, and introduced to the mummification process the relatively innovative and to Egypt revolutionary art style of perceived representationalism. The reign of Akhenaten had been the only flirtation Egypt had had with such a style, and the violent end of him and his short-lived dynasty (including the possible murder of Tutankhamun) heralded the return of traditional Egyptian styles. This piece, 13 inches tall by 6.5 wide, is both spectacular and highly significant to the development of Egyptian and Roman art styles. It has been published in full as is appropriate for a piece of this importance (H.F. in Klaus Parlasca and Hellmut Seemann (editors), Augenblikcke. Mumienporträts und ägyptische Grabkunst aus römischer Zeit (Munich 1999), pages 220-221, catalogue number 129). The piece is described below by Dr R.S. Bianchi:   « Less

Origin: Egypt Circa: 1570 BC to 1070 BC Dimensions: 19" (48.3cm) high Collection: Egyptian Style: New Kingdom Medium: Wood Wooden sculptures from Ancient Egypt are  More »

Origin: Egypt Circa: 1570 BC to 1070 BC Dimensions: 19" (48.3cm) high Collection: Egyptian Style: New Kingdom Medium: Wood Wooden sculptures from Ancient Egypt are exceedingly rare, since fine wood was scarce and expensive, and preservation is often problematic despite the desiccated environments of stone-cut tombs. On the majority of New Kingdom wooden sculptures to have been recovered, the torso/legs and arms were carved separately, the arms then being pegged into place. Unusually, the current piece has been carved from a single block of wood. He stands in the distinguished posture characteristic of males in this period, legs together, the right arm extended by the side with closed fist (pierced to hold a weapon, or perhaps an agricultural implement), the left flexed at the elbow and extended forwards, palm-up. The figure is naked except for a knee-length skirt-like loincloth; the anatomical details are perfectly rendered in low relief, with well-defined pectoral and biceps muscles. The face is a mask of placidity, the cheeks, eyes, mouth, eyes, eyebrows and ears all picked out in clear detail. The top of the head is angularly flattened, suggesting that the figure originally wore a wig or headdress made from some other material that fit over the wooden form: probable candidates include bone and ivory. As with all of the rest of the sculpture, there is little radicalism in terms of sculptural interpretation, as was briefly the case under the heretic pharaoh Akhenaten (the husband of Nefertiti, and father allegedly of Tutankhamun). The only tangible effect of his reign was a subsequent slight increase in naturalism and rather less tendency towards stylised formulaic reiteration. There is no hieroglyphic inscription on the figure, so it is impossible to ascertain the identity of the individual portrayed. However, the size of the figure, the rarity of the material and the care with which it has been carved seem to suggest that it was an individual of some importance. The fact that the ears project to such an extent, and have no wear means that the missing headpiece was high and narrow. It is therefore possible even likely that the figure depicts a member of the royal family or a pharaoh. This is a true masterwork of ancient Egyptian art, the value of which is enhanced by its rarity and excellent preservation. - (X.0565)   « Less

Origin: Egypt Circa: 664 BC to 525 BC Dimensions: 2" (5.1cm) high x 2.5" (6.4cm) wide Collection: Egyptian Style: 26th Dynasty Medium: Terracotta This object is a  More »

Origin: Egypt Circa: 664 BC to 525 BC Dimensions: 2" (5.1cm) high x 2.5" (6.4cm) wide Collection: Egyptian Style: 26th Dynasty Medium: Terracotta This object is a flat-backed plaque depicting the right facing head of a ram in high relief. The horn of the ram is re-curved and curls around the ear toward the front of its face. The profile is aristocratic, helped by the high nasal bones and small ears that characterise many North African domestic and wild sheep breeds. The details of the ear particularly the treatment of the hair in the area from which it springs from the head the tear duct anterior to the eye, and the mouth-nostrils are meticulously observed and executed. The entire object is modelled in broad planes to which linear detail has been added. The facial aspect is smooth clay: the horns and long hair at the neck level are in stronger relief. Without either an accompanying inscription or distinctive specific attribute, it is difficult to identify the deity to which this particular ram carving was intended to relate. Candidates include Khnum (who, as potter, fashioned mankind on the potters wheel), Amun (whose depiction as a ram is demonstrated by the avenues of ram-headed sphinxes in Thebes) and Bad-neb-djed, the ram-headed god of Mendes (the capital of Egypt during Dynasty XXIX). Our ram may well represent any one of these deities. In style and technique, our terracotta plaque finds its closest stylistic parallels in limestone plaques that are often termed sculptors models, with the understanding they were maquettes for larger works, However, they may in fact have served as votive offerings in their own right. Limestone versions are usually dated to the Late Period, but stylistic comparisons with related artefacts including an example in Boston seem to suggest a date somewhere in the Ptolemaic Period. In essence, however, our plaque is unique. This is an exceptionally beautiful, perfectly executed and very rare artefact that will appeal to anyone with interests in ancient Egyptian artworks.   « Less

Origin: Egypt Circa: 664 BC to 525 BC Dimensions: 4.5" (11.4cm) high x 3.75" (9.5cm) wide Collection: Egyptian Style: Corinthian Medium: Faience This miniature vessel  More »

Origin: Egypt Circa: 664 BC to 525 BC Dimensions: 4.5" (11.4cm) high x 3.75" (9.5cm) wide Collection: Egyptian Style: Corinthian Medium: Faience This miniature vessel is a spherical aryballos widely used as a container for oil in the Late Archaic and Early Classical Periods of Greek history. It was doubtless mould made and relies upon two different hues of blue faience for its visual impact. In keeping with Greek aesthetic concerns, this aryballos is divided into distinctive zones which emphasize the tectonic shape of the vessel itself. The thick, disk-shaped mouth rises up from a narrow neck. Its top surface is concave and pierced with a small, central opening, both of which were intentionally designed to control the flow of oil. The mouth is attached to a strap handle exhibiting a scored, design. The body of the aryballos itself is divided into two zones, separated from one another by a double, sculptural band. The pattern above on the shoulder zone is a frieze of lancelet-like leaves raised up from the background in such as way that they appear as sculptural elements. Below, is a tongue-pattern of alternating lighter and darker blue forms. Such vessels are indebted to forms created earlier in terracotta by Corinthian potteries who introduced the spherical shape in imitation of fruit. The lancelet-like leaves and tongue patterning on our example are certainly evocative of the stylized skins of fruit which are peeled before eating. Ceramicists from East Greek city-states in Ionia then adopted the Egyptian technology of faience for the manufacture of such vessels. These aryballoi not only held precious unguents and balms used as cosmetics by wealthy Greeks, but also pure olive oil with which athletes in the Olympic and other games bathed.   « Less

Origin: Egypt Circa: 1450 BC to 1070 BC Dimensions: 5" (12.7cm) high Collection: Egyptian Style: New Kingdom Medium: Stone This elegantly-carved head represents the  More »

Origin: Egypt Circa: 1450 BC to 1070 BC Dimensions: 5" (12.7cm) high Collection: Egyptian Style: New Kingdom Medium: Stone This elegantly-carved head represents the Egyptian goddess Hathor – also known as Mehturt – who was one of the longest- worshipped deities in the Egyptian pantheon. Like most Egyptian gods, she went through various incarnations from a “cow goddess” flanking Narmer (who unified Egypt in the 31st century BC) on his eponymous palette, through to being the wife of Ra (the sun god), the wife of Thoth (god of the moon and/or a heavenly mediator) and the mother of Horus (the god of the sky). However, she never lost her primary role, which was goddess of the Milky Way, representative of milk spilling from the udders of a heavenly cow. As the Milky Way, she was believed to encircle the sky – and thus her son, Horus – although she was worshipped for much longer than her offspring, who was replaced by the sun god, Ra. Her significance was mainly economic, for the Milky Way was believed to be a heavenly version of the terrestrial Nile, which could not flood without her assistance. As three quarters of Egypt’s population was directly reliant upon the Nile, a failure to flood spelled disaster; thus her social importance never declined. Expectant mothers also worshipped Hathor, as she was seen as a herald of imminent birth, and she was also seen as a protector for those in desertic areas. It is also interesting to note the parallels between Egypt and other parts of the ancient world who also revered bulls and cows; the Neolithic site of Catal Huyuk was but one of many who became invested with “tauromaquia”, while zebus constituted much of the economy of various Near Eastern and Central Asian countries.   « Less

Origin: Egypt Circa: 100 AD to 300 AD Dimensions: 3.25" (8.3cm) high x 10" (25.4cm) wide Collection: Egyptian Style: Roman Period Medium: Rock Crystal The importance of  More »

Origin: Egypt Circa: 100 AD to 300 AD Dimensions: 3.25" (8.3cm) high x 10" (25.4cm) wide Collection: Egyptian Style: Roman Period Medium: Rock Crystal The importance of cats to ancient Egyptian society cannot be overstated. They appear regularly in mythological and reincarnation myths, are made into goddesses (such as Bastet) and were mummified with as much care and reverence as their human counterparts. It is therefore little wonder that sculptures of them are not uncommon. However, they are usually carved from basalt or alabaster, or painted on the caskets or tombs of the deceased. This is the most remarkable feline carving we have seen. Rock crystal, the material from which our cat is sculpted, appears to have been reserved for deluxe creations during the pharaonic period. The material underwent something of a revival during the Roman Imperial Period when wealthy Romans took full advantage of Egypt’s immense cultural heritage to decorate their homes, palaces and tombs. Other examples of this include the Roman fad for mummification, for although the tradition had been on the decline for some time before the Roman occupation, the occupying forces were much taken by the longevity of Egypt’s Old Kingdom rulers’ physical remains. While the mummification practiced during the late period was often decidedly lackadaisical, however, superb works of art were often produced by artisans working in a wide range of scarce and costly materials. Our cat – although the possibility of the piece representing some other feline species cannot be ruled out – is naturalistically represented in an alert yet recumbent attitude, with its body drawn up into a semi-circle and fore paws touching. The hind legs are drawn up yet relaxed, and the tail is wrapped alongside them. The detailing of anatomical features is achieved with extreme precision, down to the rings on the tail that characterize depictions of certain species of ancient Egyptian cats. Our cat’s head is slightly raised with its eyes focused straight ahead as if startled or surveying potential danger; this impression is enhanced by the fact that the cat’s ears are drawn toward the back of its head. The rarity of this specimen is such that the role it originally played in the society that produced it is unclear. There are two possibilities – either that is genuinely portrays a feline subject of some affection for the sculptor (or the person who commissioned the work), or that it is a reflection of the perpetuating reverence for the goddess Bastet, which continued into Roman times. The sheer size of the object (10” long) and the rarity of the material would seem to suggest the latter, for it would otherwise seem to be a devastatingly expensive way of expressing affection for a feline companion. Malek, J. The Cat in Ancient Egypt (London 1993) Shaw, I. and Nicholson, P. BM Dictionary of Ancient Egypt (London 1995). - (X.0727)   « Less

Origin: Egypt Circa: 600 BC to 500 BC Dimensions: 3.75" (9.5cm) high Collection: Egyptian Style: Late Kingdom Medium: Bronze The cult of Apis was highly discriminatory  More »

Origin: Egypt Circa: 600 BC to 500 BC Dimensions: 3.75" (9.5cm) high Collection: Egyptian Style: Late Kingdom Medium: Bronze The cult of Apis was highly discriminatory in its worship of bulls. Rather than all bulls, the cult worshipped a special, carefully chosen individual animal. Apis (Hapi in Egyptian) was a live bull kept in the temple of Ptah in Memphis. Apis was believed to be the tangible representative of a powerful god who could not be directly experienced, rather like the role of the Pope in Catholicism. The god to which Apis was attached changed through time and administrations. The first was Ptah, who was later usurped by Osiris, who was in turn displaced by Atum. The bull acted as an oracle for the Egyptians, who could crave boons, ask questions or just communicate to their deity. The movements of Apis, were thought to reflect the response of the god. In this sense, Apis was very much a domestic god in the sense that only the aristocracy and the priestly class were thought to fully be a part of the impenetrably complex and forbidding world of state-level religion: Apis, by contrast, was directly reachable by anyone. The life and death of the bulls were a matter of serious concern for Egyptians. When the incumbent died, a search not unlike that undertaken by the Tibetans for a new Dalai Lama would explode into action. The successor had to match 29 different attributes that constituted physical perfection in the Apis bull, including having no subsequent siblings, being black with a white diamond on its forehead, and possessing thick tail hair (Herodotus). The pomp and ceremony surrounding the discovery of an appropriate bull was considerable, as summarised by Apis Diodorus: “… During the forty days, none but women are admitted to see him, who being placed full in his view, pluck up their coats and expose their person. Afterwards, they are forbidden to come into the sight of [Apis]. . .” After this, Apis was moved by sacred barge to his sanctuary in Memphis, at the southern end of the Temple of Ptah.   « Less

Origin: Egypt Circa: 1080 BC to 720 BC Dimensions: 27.4" (69.6cm) high x 8.75" (22.2cm) wide x 1.25" (3.2cm) depth Collection: Egyptian Style: Third Intermediate  More »

Origin: Egypt Circa: 1080 BC to 720 BC Dimensions: 27.4" (69.6cm) high x 8.75" (22.2cm) wide x 1.25" (3.2cm) depth Collection: Egyptian Style: Third Intermediate Period Medium: wood These two brightly painted panels each contain a train of three deities, two of which are well preserved in each panel. Each of these deities is identically attired in a tightly-fitting raiment decorated with a red-X. That X-shaped design imitates “suspenders,” which are habitually found on the lids of coffins of the period. This motif replicates the leather “mummy suspenders” which were routinely included as part of the burial equipment of the time. Additionally, these deities hold bolts of linen cloth, either naturally white or dyed red, in their hands, and these allude to the mummy bandages with which the mummy placed within this sarcophagus was wrapped. Their headdresses are all uniformly painted blue, perhaps in imitation of lapis lazuli. The deities are depicted standing up a tri- colored, rectangular ornament which represents a serekh, originally depicting the crenellated façade of a palace, but which, with the passing of time, came to represent symbolically any sacred precinct, such as the tomb in which the deceased was interred.   « Less

Origin: Egypt Circa: 2494 BC to 2300 BC Dimensions: 14.0" (35.6cm) high x 12.2" (31.0cm) wide Collection: Egyptian Style: Old Kingdom; Dynasty V-VI Medium:  More »

Origin: Egypt Circa: 2494 BC to 2300 BC Dimensions: 14.0" (35.6cm) high x 12.2" (31.0cm) wide Collection: Egyptian Style: Old Kingdom; Dynasty V-VI Medium: Limestone This panel, painted on limestone, exhibits a very unusual gray background which is limited to a select number of tombs decorated during the last two dynasties of the Old Kingdom. The preserved vignette depicts the bust of an elite, male official facing right. His hair is closely cropped and his accessories include a broad collar on his naked chest. In keeping with ancient Egyptian color conventions, which are gender specific, his body is painted in a rich red color to indicate that his field of activity is outdoors. A hand, gently placed on his shoulder, of which the fingers and thumb are clearly visible, is painted in yellow, the color reserved for women who were sequestered within the confines of home and palace. The color and placement of that hand on this officials shoulder suggests that it belongs to his wife. One can then suggest that this scene, doubtless from a tomb, depicted this anonymous official together with his wife in a loving pose, perhaps seated, before what can be reconstructed as funerary offerings.   « Less

Neolithic Flint Sculpture of a Fish - PF.7003 Origin: Egypt Circa: 8000 BC to 5000 BC Dimensions: 1.1428" (2.9cm) high x 4.5" (11.4cm) wide Collection: Egyptian  More »

Neolithic Flint Sculpture of a Fish - PF.7003 Origin: Egypt Circa: 8000 BC to 5000 BC Dimensions: 1.1428" (2.9cm) high x 4.5" (11.4cm) wide Collection: Egyptian Antiquities Style: Neolithic Medium: Flint   « Less