Two Ancient Egyptian Wooden Lions from a Funerary Bier

Archives: Regional Art: Ancient World: Egyptian Pre AD 1000: item #276035

Interesting and rare, these two wooden lion faces once decorated the legs of a funerary bier, a platform on which the deceased was laid as he or she was carried to the tomb. Lions were associated with kingship and royalty in ancient Egypt.

AGE: Late Period

CONDITION: Somewhat fragmentary, but nice with much original pigment remaining. ... Click for details

Ancient Egyptian Faience Amulet of an Ibis

Archives: Regional Art: Ancient World: Egyptian Pre AD 1000: item #276030

Representative of the god Thoth, the ibis was associated with wisdom, learning, writing, and the movements of the stars. As it was a common Nile bird, it played a role in many stories in Egyptian mythology.

AGE: Late Period, ca. 600-400 B.C.

CONDITION: Very well molded, but unfortunate losses to the head prevent this from being a museum... Click for details

Large & Choice Ancient Egyptian Wooden Ka Mask

Archives: Regional Art: Ancient World: Egyptian Pre AD 1000: item #276028

Ka masks were placed on the sarcophagus of the deceased to aid the person's spirit after death. The Egyptians believed that the spirit could wander freely from its tomb to revisit places and people it had known in life. However, if the spirit could not find its body upon its return, the spirit would be cursed to wander the earth forever without anywhere to rest. Fortunately, a ka mask, modeled after the appearance of the deceased inside, would allow the spirit to recognize its sarcophagus upon i... Click for details

Ancient Egyptian Fragmentary Legs from a Faience Statue

Archives: Regional Art: Ancient World: Egyptian Pre AD 1000: item #276025

Nice, but fragmentary legs from what would have been a rather large faience statue/amulet of a striding noble or deity. An interesting and affordable piece for the size!

AGE: Late Period, ca. 600-400 B.C.

CONDITION: Fragmentary, but nice color and glaze remaining. ... Click for details

Ancient Egyptian Fragmentary Wooden Ka Mask

Archives: Regional Art: Ancient World: Egyptian Pre AD 1000: item #276020

Ka masks were placed on the sarcophagus of the deceased to aid the person's spirit after death. The Egyptians believed that the spirit could wander freely from its tomb to revisit places and people it had known in life. However, if the spirit could not find its body upon its return, the spirit would be cursed to wander the earth forever without anywhere to rest. Fortunately, a ka mask, modeled after the appearance of the deceased inside, would allow the spirit to recognize its sarcophagus upon i... Click for details

Cute Fragmentary Egyptian Amulet of Hathor

Archives: Regional Art: Ancient World: Egyptian Pre AD 1000: item #274655

Hathor was the original mother deity of Egyptian mythology. Hathor is one of the oldest Egyptian deities with a history that stretches back to the Predynastic period. She was originally worshiped as the wife of Horus (the Elder Horus, not to be confused with the Horus of "The Contention of Horus and Seth"). However, by later Egyptian history Hathor was more strongly associated with music, art, dance, and festivities, and her worship holidays were among the most anticipated of the Egyptian calend... Click for details

Nice Fragmentary Egyptian Amulet of Isis

Archives: Regional Art: Ancient World: Egyptian Pre AD 1000: item #274648

Isis was one of the principal mother deities of Egyptian mythology. Wife of Osiris and mother of Horus, she is associated with both the pharaoh's kingship and funerary rites for her role in reassembling the body of her slain husband, which had been dismembered and tossed in the Nile by Seth. Following the Hellenistic and later Roman conquests of Egypt, the cult of Isis spread throughout much of the Western world and may have influenced early Christian conceptualizations of the relationship betwe... Click for details

Pristine Ancient Egyptian Ushabti, 3rd Int. Period

Archives: Regional Art: Ancient World: Egyptian Pre AD 1000: item #274472

Beginning in the Middle Kingdom, the ancient Egyptians were buried with small human statues called shabtis. These figures were to serve as servants in the afterlife, performing any work necessary so that the deceased could enjoy eternity in peace. This was accomplished by inscribing Chapter 6 of the Book of the Dead on the shabti, which reads: "O shabti, if the deceased is called upon to do any of the work required there in the necropolis at any time...you shall say, 'Here I am, I will do it.'" ... Click for details

Excellent Upper Body from an Egyptian Ptah-Sokar-Osiris

Archives: Regional Art: Ancient World: Egyptian Pre AD 1000: item #274457

This choice piece is from a Ptah-Sokar-Osiris statue, a fixture in Late Period burials. Ptah-Sokar-Osiris was a conglomerate figure made to include characteristics of all of its component gods, all of whom were associated with death and the afterlife. These statues were often hollow or were mounted on hollow bases to include a rolled papyrus scroll on which the Book of the Dead was written.

AGE: Late Period, ca. 76... Click for details

19th C Caucasian Horn Spoon, Carved Stem, Cyrillic

Archives: Regional Art: Ancient World Pre 1900: item #269602
MISCT360a

An interesting 19th century Caucasian horn spoon, featuring a carved stem with initials in Cyrillic. Very good condition. Measures 6 3/8” long.