Protosumerian calcite amulet in the shape of a reclining animal with large globular eyes and indicated mouth, ears, tail and legs.
Hole for suspension along the body.
Calcite
Protosumerian, Djemdet Nasr Period, early 3rd millennium BC
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Fragmentary tile with the neat impression of the hooves of a goat. The animal walked over the still unfired soft tile while it was laid out for drying. Two prints on the right, another two stepping on the same spot on the upper center.
Terracotta
Roman Imperial, 1st-4th century AD
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Large Roman plain dish with shallow floor, slightly offset from the gently raised wall with flat rim. Faint circle at center. Attractive reddish-orange color.
Ceramic
Roman, North Africa, 4th/5th century AD
D. 22 cm (8.7 in)
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Wooden head of a cobra wearing a solar disk. The head with impressive eyes and vertical notches to render the cleft lip and the nostrils.
The uraeus is associated to the Pharaoh and spits poison towards his enemies. Such heads used to be attached to wooden shrines for their magical protection.
For an identical head cf. lot no. 10 in: ...click for details
Pristine Egyptian mirror with almost round disk. The tang stepped at the joint to the disk, the spur with one gouged side.
The average thickness of 5 mm gives the piece a weight of 662 g.
For a closely related mirror cf. no. 778 in: J. Vandier d’Abbadie. Catalogue des objets de toilette égyptiens au Musée du Louvre. Paris 1972.
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Roman imperial bronze mirror with a riveted rim and fine concentric lines. The other side would have been burnished for reflection.
A lotus blossom at the join of the slung handle to the disk. The handle with a knob on the bottom.
Bronze
Roman, 2nd/3rd c ...click for details
Striped Coptic cross created with interwoven thick black wool running along the weft underneath.
On both sides groups of three colored threads with frayed ends.
Wool on linen
Egypt, Coptic Period, ca. 5th-8th century AD
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Head from a faience amulet of Ptah the Dwarf shown with bald head, which is square in shape. The face with nicely swung eyes and a broad grin.
Ptah the Dwarf, also known under the Greek name Pataikos, was considered a protector of children.
For a comparable head, cf. item no. UC45388 in the Petrie Museum Catalogue.
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Bust from a very fine amulet of Mut with neatly rendered facial details. The goddess is identified by the double crown of Lower and Upper Egypt. She is wearing the uraeus on a wig which is striated on the forehead. The wig’s downward laps are decorated with six finely carved uraeus serpents.
Mut was originally a vulture goddess, then a primeval goddess of the firmament.
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Appealing bottle-shaped socle with a small bulge an the join to the very long neck and flared disk rim on top. Wax strands overlaid to obtain the stepped bottom and the band on the neck.
The upper end with a hole to insert a heraldic bronze finial (opposed animals, master of animals, etc)
Almost identical items no. 110 and 112 in: J. Rickenbach. Magier mit Feuer und Erz. Zurich 1992.
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