Origin: Egypt Circa: 1 st Century AD to 2 nd Century AD Dimensions: 11.2" (28.4cm) high x 7.8" (19.8cm) wide Collection: Egyptian Antiquities Style: Roman Period Medium:  More »

Origin: Egypt Circa: 1 st Century AD to 2 nd Century AD Dimensions: 11.2" (28.4cm) high x 7.8" (19.8cm) wide Collection: Egyptian Antiquities Style: Roman Period Medium: Plaster Customary to the Egyptian funerary tradition, a mask is created to cover the face of the deceased and replaces the mutilated visage of the mummified corpse in the eternal life. This particular Roman Period plaster funerary mask is striking in its vibrant and well-preserved hues. The woman appears to be wearing a decorative headdress embellished with rosette-like figures, which resemble jewelry. The turquoise base of the headdress envelops the woman’s hair in twisted braids. One also views her elaborate coiffure modeled in relief, which attests to the Roman influence upon an ancient Egyptian tradition. This seemingly young woman gazes at us with her large, almond-shaped eyes beautifully outlined in black by kohl, a popular cosmetic practice. The grayish eye shadow and black mascara enhance the size of the woman’s eyes. With lips reddened to match the color of the rosettes on her headdress, her mouth is cracked open to reveal a possible intention to initiate conversation. Does this woman have something to say? The woman’s stare leaves an everlasting impression on us and ignites our imaginations even more to further understand her role and function during the Egypto-Roman period. - (LO.1312)   « Less

Origin: Egypt Circa: 600 BC to 300 BC Dimensions: 9" (22.9cm) high Collection: Egyptian Art Style: Late Dynastic Period

Origin: Egypt Circa: 600 BC to 300 BC Dimensions: 9" (22.9cm) high Collection: Egyptian Art Style: Late Dynastic Period   « Less

Egyptian Faience Amulet Depicting the Sacred Eye Of Horus - FF.120 Origin: Egypt Dimensions: 1.30" (3.3cm) high x 1.50" (3.8cm) wide Collection: Egyptian  More »

Egyptian Faience Amulet Depicting the Sacred Eye Of Horus - FF.120 Origin: Egypt Dimensions: 1.30" (3.3cm) high x 1.50" (3.8cm) wide Collection: Egyptian Antiquities Medium: Faience   « Less

Origin: Egypt Circa: 304 BC to 30 BC Dimensions: 28 " (71.1cm) high Collection: Egyptian Style: Ptolemaic Period Medium: Wood The multiplicity of gods in the Ancient  More »

Origin: Egypt Circa: 304 BC to 30 BC Dimensions: 28 " (71.1cm) high Collection: Egyptian Style: Ptolemaic Period Medium: Wood The multiplicity of gods in the Ancient Egyptian pantheon frequently resulted in the merger of the identities of the different gods into one composite deity. Ptah-Sokar-Osiris is one such syncretic deity, combining the attributes of the three gods after whom he is named. Ptah, the creator god, is regarded as one of the greatest deities in the Egyptian pantheon. Ancient inscriptions describe him as “creator of the earth, father of the gods and all the being of this earth, father of beginnings.” He was regarded as the patron of metalworkers and artisans and as a mighty healer and is usually represented as a mummy. The main centre of his worship was in Memphis. Sokar, the “Adorned One,” was depicted in the form of a hawk-headed mummified man. Lord of darkness and death (in the sense of inertia), he presided over the Memphis necropolis and was sometimes viewed as an alternate form of Ptah before their identities were combined. By the end of the New Kingdom, the composite Ptah-Sokar had merged with yet another deity, Osiris, god of fertility, king of the dead, and ruler of eternity. The legend of Osiris states that his brother Seth, overcome by jealousy, murdered him and tore his body into fourteen parts, scattering them across Egypt. Isis, the faithful wife of Osiris, traversed the land and gathered all the parts of his body. She then cast a spell that resurrected her deceased husband for one night, during which their child, Horus, was conceived. Thus, Osiris was the central figure of Egyptian religion, the god who had triumphed over death and therefore offered the hope of rebirth and resurrection to all men.   « Less

Origin: Egypt Circa: 16 th Century BC to 11 th Century BC Dimensions: .625" (1.6cm) high x .8" (2.0cm) wide Collection: Egyptian Antiquities Style: New Kingdom Medium:  More »

Origin: Egypt Circa: 16 th Century BC to 11 th Century BC Dimensions: .625" (1.6cm) high x .8" (2.0cm) wide Collection: Egyptian Antiquities Style: New Kingdom Medium: Amazonite The first examples of amulets appeared in Ancient Egypt as early as 4000 B.C. Believed to possess magical powers that protected the wearer or bestowed upon the properties they symbolized, amulets were worn both by the living as well as the dead. Throughout their evolution, talismans were crafted from a variety of materials including precious metals such as gold and silver, semiprecious stone like jasper and carnelian, as well as other more affordable glazed compositions such as faience. The particular powers of an individual amulet were based upon its specific shape, although the material and even the color of the charm could affect its magical abilities. While many of the amulets created to be worn by the living could also be worn after death, there also existed a specific group of charms that were made specifically to be placed upon the mummified remains of the deceased. All together, amulets represent an important class of Ancient Egyptian art that furthers our understanding of their complex religious beliefs. The Ancient Egyptians believed the wedjat eye was the most powerful protection against evil. Ever-vigilant against bad luck and misfortune, the symbolic eye of the god Horus was worn by king and peasant alike. Though the eye was sometimes fashioned in gold and precious stones, it was thought to be at its most powerful when colored blue. The tradition of blue amulets guarding against harm is a very ancient one. Throughout the Mediterranean world today, one sees beads and talismans of bright blue, which are meant to avert the evil eye of bad luck. In Egypt, peasants dip the palm of their hands in blue paint and press their palms against the sides of their houses. When the Egyptian Empire was at its glorious height, this faience eye of the god Horus was worn by some long-forgotten person to bring good fortune and luck. Much has changed in the world since then, but the power of this talisman remains strong and benevolent as always. - (CK.0212)   « Less

The dreamy, classical beauty of this woman almost certainly identifies her as a goddess, perhaps a Romanized version of the Egyptian Isis, or Persephone, reluctant queen of  More »

The dreamy, classical beauty of this woman almost certainly identifies her as a goddess, perhaps a Romanized version of the Egyptian Isis, or Persephone, reluctant queen of the underworld. The loops on her head were probably for the attachment of a crown of flowers, while the holes in her neck suggest that her missing body may have been of ivory or wood covered with precious gold or silver. She appears lost in a reverie: wistful, lovely, a little sad--as if mourning the passing of ancient glories. - (FZ.034)   « Less

Origin: Sinai, Egypt Circa: 720 BC to 30 BC Dimensions: 2.5" (6.4cm) high x .75" (1.9cm) wide Catalogue: V1 Collection: Egyptian Style: Late Dynastic Period Medium:  More »

Origin: Sinai, Egypt Circa: 720 BC to 30 BC Dimensions: 2.5" (6.4cm) high x .75" (1.9cm) wide Catalogue: V1 Collection: Egyptian Style: Late Dynastic Period Medium: Bronze This bronze statuette represents a ram gingerly striding forward on a rectangular base. The ram is modeled with restraint with a sculptural emphasis placed on the stylized musculature of its body rather than an articulation of its fleece. Nevertheless, certain details such as its hooves, tail, horns, and muzzle are more naturally rendered and imbue the figure with a sobriety consistent with its depiction as a manifestation of the state god, Amun. That identification is confirmed by the sun disc fronted by a uraeus which serves as the ram’s headdress and sole insignia. The cult of the state god Amun rose to prominence during the course of the Egyptian New Kingdom in the late second millennium B.C. and continued to maintain its pre-eminent role into the Late Period. So, for example, the Kushite pharaohs of Dynasty XXV linked the Egyptian god Amun of Thebes with their own local deity of Napata worshipped deep in Nubia at Gebel Barkal. Later, in the fourth century B.C., Alexander the Great, in an effort to promote his divine claim, often chose to be depicted with the ram’s horns of Amun as his personal emblem. Our ram can, therefore, be dated to this late resurgence of the cult of Amun. And while, admittedly, there are few known parallels for our particular depiction, its style is consistent with that known for the depiction of other animals, such as the mongoose. A dating within the Late Period, therefore, seems assured for our example.   « Less

Origin: Egypt Circa: 2 nd Century AD Dimensions: 10.75" (27.3cm) high Collection: Egyptian Style: Roman Period Medium: Limestone The grinning dwarf god Bes was one of  More »

Origin: Egypt Circa: 2 nd Century AD Dimensions: 10.75" (27.3cm) high Collection: Egyptian Style: Roman Period Medium: Limestone The grinning dwarf god Bes was one of the most popular deities in the Egyptian pantheon, one whose worship was absorbed almost intact into Hellenistic culture. He was a popular subject for amulets, and part of his appeal appears to have been the perception that he was more accessible and willing to listen to the common man than were the intimidating national gods such as Amun, Osiris, or Horus. In addition to being a patron god of music and art, Bes was believed to protect mankind from all evil and malevolence and thus is a fitting subject for amulets. He was also held to be a protector of pregnant women, amusing them during childbirth so that they forget the pain. Bes is usually depicted as a dwarf with a face that is both leonine and human. Here, he is represented nude squatting down with bent knees, brandishing a sword in his raised right hand and clenching a snake in his lowered left hand, as if about to decapitate this serpent. He is shown with his characteristic leonine beard and plumed headdress. Created during the Roman Period, when the Emperors of Rome ruled over the land of Egypt, this impressive relief panel is a testament to the popularity of Bes during this period of heavy Classical influence. - (X.0137)   « Less

Stone Weight in the Shape of a Duck - LO.1104 Origin: Egypt Circa: 1500 BC to 1100 BC Dimensions: 1.75" (4.4cm) wide Collection: Egyptian Antiquities Medium: Diorite

Stone Weight in the Shape of a Duck - LO.1104 Origin: Egypt Circa: 1500 BC to 1100 BC Dimensions: 1.75" (4.4cm) wide Collection: Egyptian Antiquities Medium: Diorite   « Less

Origin: Egypt Circa: 1080 BC to 720 BC Dimensions: 16" (40.6cm) high x 8.75" (22.2cm) wide x 1.25" (3.2cm) depth Collection: Egyptian Antiquities Style: Third  More »

Origin: Egypt Circa: 1080 BC to 720 BC Dimensions: 16" (40.6cm) high x 8.75" (22.2cm) wide x 1.25" (3.2cm) depth Collection: Egyptian Antiquities Style: Third Intermediate Period Medium: Wood These brightly painted and well-preserved wooden panels contain mirror-images of what appears to be the same scene, suggesting that they were symmetrically arranged on the sarcophagus to which these panels originally belonged. The best preserved of the two figures in each pair is a mummiform, jackal-headed deity, who, although not inscribed, can plausibly be identified as Duamutef, one of the Four Sons of Horus. His identification seems assured by his iconography which includes his tightly-fitting white garment with its red ribbons, which represent the mummy bandages in which he and his brothers are traditionally enveloped. These deities stand on neb-signs which represent luxury vessels created from banded alabaster, indicated by their angular ornamentation. The baskets represent the word neb, “lord” or “master” in the hieroglyphs, and were probably incorporated into a rebus, or visual pun, forming one or more epithets associated with these Four Sons of Horus. There are two vertical motifs near the legs of each pair of figures. The element to the far left and right is a stylized representation of romaine lettuce, used in ancient Egyptian art as a signifier of the fecundity inherent in the plant world and a symbol of resurrection. The other element is perhaps best understood as a censor, containing a ball of frankincense or myrrh in its cup-like top, the smoke of which was traditionally used to accompanying the performance of sacred rituals.   « Less