Origin: Egypt
Circa: 650 BC to 330 BC
Dimensions: 3.25" (8.3cm) high x 4" (10.2cm) wide
Collection: Egyptian
Style: Ibis
Medium: Bronze
Condition: Very Fine
The Ibis once preened itself upon the shores of the Nile, and when one observes the elegance and majesty of the bird as encapsulated in this piece, it is easy to see why the Ancient Egyptians should deify the graceful figure. The Ibis was the corporeal form Toth, who gave man heiroglyphs and was protector of earthly wisdom. And doesn't the eye of this Ibis seem to follow us with a certain omniscent intelligence and pride? The perfectly structured beak, the sweeping and dramatic neck, and the intricate delicacy of the talons make this piece a rare beauty to behold. But where we may see nothing more than than an aesthetically beautiful bird, the Egyptians saw a creature of divine presence, and wrought an Ibis with a complex and regal personality. Our world has, for the most part, shed the ideals of animals holding intellect, and the complex emotionality that comes along with it; and we smile at the innocent minds who would concieve of animist worship. But looking at this Ibis, being in the presence of such a majestic and truly sensitive bird, makes us think twice about so easily dismissing notions of animal personality. Perhaps, rather than gaining knowledge, we have lost a primal respect for the world around us. In some of us, the feeling that nature's beauty is teeming with passion and emotion is not quite yet gone. And this piece harkens back, a paen sung from a long-dead throat, reminding us that in Ancient Egypt, the most primitive and essential root of our civilziation, such time and love was dedicated to the preservation of the animal ego. - (FF.22)

Antiquities
Ancient Egyptian