Exceptional Egyptian steatite amulet of a Fish, New Kingdom!
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Directory: Antiques: Regional Art: Ancient World: Egyptian: Stone: Pre AD 1000: Item # 1390355
Directory: Antiques: Regional Art: Ancient World: Egyptian: Stone: Pre AD 1000: Item # 1390355
$295.00
A rare and high quality Scaraboid Fish amulet with Hieroglyphs on the base, dating to the New Kingdom, 16th.-11th. century BC.
Very accomplished scaraboid, carved from steatite; both sides bear an incised decoration; the upper convex side depicts the representation of a tilapia fish, the flat underside with some exceptional sharp and well-carved hieroglyphs, untranslated, but looks to be a Royal name. Fish amulets, like this nekhau, were given to young girls to wear as a charm against drowning. Some scholars suggest that the amulet allowed the wearer to acquire the abilities of a fish, and therefore survival, if she happened to fall into the water.
Size: 19 mm. long.
Condition: Superb, exceptional brownish patina!
Provenance: Jytte Soelberg Private Collection, bought in the 1970-1980 from much older collection of a Danish Engineer, travelling in Egypt in the 1960s.
Very accomplished scaraboid, carved from steatite; both sides bear an incised decoration; the upper convex side depicts the representation of a tilapia fish, the flat underside with some exceptional sharp and well-carved hieroglyphs, untranslated, but looks to be a Royal name. Fish amulets, like this nekhau, were given to young girls to wear as a charm against drowning. Some scholars suggest that the amulet allowed the wearer to acquire the abilities of a fish, and therefore survival, if she happened to fall into the water.
Size: 19 mm. long.
Condition: Superb, exceptional brownish patina!
Provenance: Jytte Soelberg Private Collection, bought in the 1970-1980 from much older collection of a Danish Engineer, travelling in Egypt in the 1960s.
