Origin: Egypt Circa: 664 BC to 525 BC Dimensions: 15" (38.1cm) high x 25.625" (65.1cm) wide Collection: Egyptian Style: 26th Dynasty Medium: Limestone The 26th Dynasty,  More »

Origin: Egypt Circa: 664 BC to 525 BC Dimensions: 15" (38.1cm) high x 25.625" (65.1cm) wide Collection: Egyptian Style: 26th Dynasty Medium: Limestone The 26th Dynasty, also known as the Saite Period, is traditionally placed by scholars at the end of the Third Intermediate Period or at the beginning of the Late Dynastic Period. In either case, the Saite Period rose from the ashes of a decentralized Egyptian state that had been ravaged by foreign occupation. Supported by the assistance of a powerful family centered in the Delta town of Sais, the Assyrians finally drove the Nubians out of Egypt. At the close of this campaign, Ashurbanipal’s kingdom was at the height of its power; however, due to civil strife back east, he was forced to withdraw his forces from Egypt. Psammetik I, a member of the family from Sais, seized this opportunity to assert his authority over the entire Nile Valley and found his own dynasty, the 26th of Egyptian history. Known as the Saite Period due to the importance of the capital city Sais, the 26th Dynasty, like many before it, sought to emulate the artistic styles of past pharaoh in order to bolster their own claims to power and legitimize their authority. Yet despite that artist sought to replicate models of the past, Egyptian art of this era was infused with a heightened sense of naturalism. This fact is likely due to the influx of Greek culture. The Saite rulers recognized that Egypt had fallen behind the rest of the Mediterranean world in terms of military technology. Thus, they were forced to rely upon foreign mercenaries, many of whom were Greek. With ties between these two cultures firmly established during the 7th Century B.C., commercial trading quickly blossomed. Special entrepots for foreign traders were established, including the famed town of Naucratis, a Delta town in which Greek merchants were permitted access. During the Saite Period, two great powers of the Mediterranean world became intimately linked, commercially and culturally. As the exchange of ideas flowed across the sea, the Greeks began to experiment on a monumental scale while the Egyptians began to approach art with an enhanced sense of realism.   « Less

Origin: Egypt Circa: 664 BC to 525 BC Dimensions: 12.625" (32.1cm) high Collection: Egyptian Style: 26th Dynasty Medium: Sandstone Carved from sandstone, this  More »

Origin: Egypt Circa: 664 BC to 525 BC Dimensions: 12.625" (32.1cm) high Collection: Egyptian Style: 26th Dynasty Medium: Sandstone Carved from sandstone, this magnificent model of a temple façade appears to rise from the desert dunes. The architecture consists of four columns mounted over a fairly large base with a lintel above. Compared to the size and complexity of some Egyptian temples, this one appears to be quite modest. It might also reflect the influx of Greek ideals as related to architecture. However, despite the similarities to Greek buildings, this temple is purely Egyptian. The lintel is decorated with a central winged solar disk flanked by two rearing uraei cobras, typical Egyptian symbols. The base features a central plaque into which a symbol has been etched three times. The symbol consists of an ankh resting in what appears to be a shallow basket flanked by two staffs. A column of pseudo-glyphs has been inscribed on either side of this central panel. As well, two of the columns have been decorated with empty cartouches. Might this temple model have once served as a soviegner for a foreign merchant to take home with him? Perhaps it was a model of a famous temple? Perhaps it was used as a building model to show the patron before construction began? This temple façade is a stunning work of art in itself, but it also symbolizes the glories of Egyptian architecture and this civilization as a whole. - (X.0385)   « Less

Origin: Egypt Circa: 332 BC to 30 BC Dimensions: 12" (30.5cm) high Collection: Egyptian Style: Ptolemaic Period Medium: Sandstone Following the death of Alexander the  More »

Origin: Egypt Circa: 332 BC to 30 BC Dimensions: 12" (30.5cm) high Collection: Egyptian Style: Ptolemaic Period Medium: Sandstone Following the death of Alexander the Great, his empire was divided between his three generals, each of whom set up their own kingdoms. One of them, Ptolemy, took Egypt as his share and made Alexandria his capital. Ruling as Ptolemy I Soter, he established the last dynasty to rule Egypt with the title of Pharaoh. For the next two and a half centuries, the Ptolemaic Dynasty of Greeks controlled Egypt, mingling Hellenic traditions with the mighty legacy of the Pharaohs. This stunning sandstone sculpture reveals the intermingling of native Egyptian and Greek artistic traditions. Depicting a typical cloth nemes headdress, this mask likely represents one of the Ptolemaic Kings, although it is difficult to determine which particular one. The overall forms of the work, the rigid stance of the body with the arms clenched closely to his sides, and the costumes all conform to the standards of Egyptian art that had been formed over the past three thousand years. However, the facial features bear the influence of the Hellenistic tradition that valued naturalism over idealism. Particularly, the sweetly smiling face and high cheek bones both suggest individualized features. This magnificent work reveals the artistic link between Pharaonic Egpyt and the Ptolemaic Period. - (X.0392)   « Less

Origin: Egypt Circa: 712 BC to 332 BC Dimensions: 14.125" (35.9cm) high Collection: Egyptian Style: Late Dynastic Period Medium: Stone The funerary rites and rituals of  More »

Origin: Egypt Circa: 712 BC to 332 BC Dimensions: 14.125" (35.9cm) high Collection: Egyptian Style: Late Dynastic Period Medium: Stone The funerary rites and rituals of Egypt are among the most elaborate and celebrated burial traditions in the ancient world. The foremost concern was the preservation of the body, in order that it might be reborn in the afterlife. While the painstaking mummification process achieved this goal of counteracting the effects of physical decomposition, the ancient Egyptian were not satisfied with a wrapped body alone. Gorgeously decorated mummy cases and sarcophagi developed over the course of thousands of years so that the body could be properly presented to the audience of the gods awaiting the deceased’s arrival in the next world. These cases were created from a variety of materials, including stone, wood, and cartonnage, that were utilized depending upon the wealth and status of the deceased. Some of the earliest examples were relatively unadorned, featuring the general shape of the body highlighted by idealized facial details. Later, they evolved into ornate memorials that sought to recreate the specific appearance of the memorialized individual, both in terms of physical feature as well as clothing and jewelry. Polychrome paint infused the works with color and the finest examples were gilt. This gorgeous fragment comes from the front of an anthropomorphic sarcophagus lid that would have once held the body of the deceased. Here, the artist has clearly succeeded in capturing the individualized facial feature of the deceased, infusing his natural appearance with a healthy dose of idealism. His carefully defined eyes and brow are perhaps his most prominent feature. He has large ears that have been framed by a wig that crowns his head. He smiles softly, imbuing the work with a humane warmth we can easily identify with. A false beard has been attached to his square chin, an attribute typically associated with deities that became a symbol of Pharaonic power. His eyes continue to haunt us centuries later, drawing us in with their strong lines. Created during the period of time that marked the end of the Egyptian Kingdom and the beginning of the Ptolemaic Dynasty when Greek kings ruled the land, this gorgeous mask reveals that traditional Egyptian art forms continued to thrive despite the increasing influences of Hellenistic tastes. - (X.0393)   « Less

Origin: Egypt Circa: 1550 BC to 1070 BC Dimensions: 3.5" (8.9cm) high x 3.25" (8.3cm) wide Collection: Egyptian Style: New Kingdom Medium: Stone Late in the Second  More »

Origin: Egypt Circa: 1550 BC to 1070 BC Dimensions: 3.5" (8.9cm) high x 3.25" (8.3cm) wide Collection: Egyptian Style: New Kingdom Medium: Stone Late in the Second Intermediate Period, the Theban rulers of the 17th Dynasty began to drive the Hyksos kings of the 15th Dynasty from the Delta. This expulsion was completed by the reign of Pharaoh Ahmose I, who reunited Egypt, ushering in a period that would be known as the New Kingdom, the third great era of Egyptian culture. Ahmose's successors in the 18th Dynasty conducted military campaigns that extended Egypt's influence in the Near East and established Egyptian control of Nubia to the fourth cataract. As a result, the New Kingdom pharaohs commanded unimaginable wealth, much of which they lavished on their gods, especially Amun-Re of Thebes, whose cult temple at Karnak was augmented by succeeding generations of rulers and filled with votive statues commissioned by kings and courtiers alike. Although the rulers of the 19th Dynasty established an administrative capital near their home in the Delta, Thebes remained a cultural and religious center. The pharaohs built their mortuary temples here and were buried in huge rock-cut tombs decorated with finely executed paintings or painted relief sculptures illustrating religious texts concerned with the afterlife. A town was established in western Thebes for the artists who created these tombs. At this site (Deir el-Medina), they left a wealth of information about life in an ancient Egyptian community of artisans and craftsmen. Known especially for monumental architecture and statuary honoring the gods and pharaohs, the New Kingdom, a period of nearly five hundred years of political stability and economic prosperity, also produced an abundance of artistic masterpieces created for use by nonroyal individuals.   « Less

Origin: Egypt Circa: 1550 BC to 1297 BC Dimensions: 5.5" (14.0cm) high Collection: Egyptian Style: 18th Dynasty Medium: Limestone The treatment of this head as an  More »

Origin: Egypt Circa: 1550 BC to 1297 BC Dimensions: 5.5" (14.0cm) high Collection: Egyptian Style: 18th Dynasty Medium: Limestone The treatment of this head as an independent unit with a circular, recessed projection on its under side suggests its use as a lid on a Canopic Jar. The features of its cordiform-shaped face are idealing and are dominated by hieroglyphically-designed, almond-shaped eyes framed by plastically rendered eye brows, a delicate nose with thin bridge and somewhat prominent nostrils, a horizontally aligned mouth with a thicker, upper lip and drilled corners, and characteristically large ears bent back and appearing in side view in front of the stylized wig which reaches to the level of the neck. In both its style and material, this head should be dated to Dynasties XXVI-XXX of the Egyptian Late Period. The Canopic jar to which our head served as a lid was one of four, created to hold specific internal organs of the deceased removed during the process of mummification. Each of those four jars was associated with one of the Four Sons of Horus, only one of whom, Imsety, was represented with a human head. Our lid with the head of Imsety covered a Canopic Jar which contained liver of the deceased which he protected. At the same time Imsety served to guard the South whereas each of his three other brothers were charged with protecting the three other cardinal points of the compass, respectively.   « Less

Origin: Egypt Circa: 664 BC to 525 BC Dimensions: 72" (182.9cm) high Collection: Egyptian Style: 26th Dynasty Medium: Painted Wood The funerary rites and rituals of  More »

Origin: Egypt Circa: 664 BC to 525 BC Dimensions: 72" (182.9cm) high Collection: Egyptian Style: 26th Dynasty Medium: Painted Wood The funerary rites and rituals of Egypt are among the most elaborate and celebrated burial traditions in the ancient world. The foremost concern was the preservation of the body, in order that it might be reborn in the afterlife. While the painstaking mummification process achieved this goal of counteracting the effects of physical decomposition, the Ancient Egyptians were not satisfied with a wrapped body alone. Gorgeously decorated mummy cases and sarcophagi developed over the course of thousands of years so that the body could be properly presented to the audience of the gods awaiting the deceased’s arrival in the next world. These cases were created from a variety materials, including stone, wood, and cartonnage, that were utilized depending upon the wealth and status of the deceased. Some of the earliest examples were relatively unadorned, featuring the general shape of the body highlighted by idealized facial details. Later, they evolved into ornate memorials that sought to recreate the specific appearance of the memorialized individual, both in terms of physical features as well as clothing and jewelry. Polychrome paint infused the works with color and the finest examples were gilt. This impressive large wooden coffin cover harkens back to some of the earlier examples in its stylization of the human form. The shape of the lid is highly abstracted, with no indications of limbs save for the flaring base that echoes the form of feet. The idealized face has been painted stark white, contrasting to the dark hue that colors the rest of the body. Facial details have been highlighted in black, including the eyes, eyelids, and eyebrows. Elaborate details in yellow paint decorate the rest of the work with traditionally funerary iconography. The hair on the tripartite wig that crowns the figure’s head has been suggested by parallel lines. The head of Horus appears on each shoulder, framing the head. Beaded necklaces fill the space between the upper torso and the main decorative scheme that depicts the funerary rites. A winged scarab covers the center of the coffin. Each feather on the outstretched wings has been meticulously painted on. Beneath this is a scene of the Four Sons of Horus standing in pairs on either side of a central altar flanked by two burning lamps. Underneath here is a fascinating representation of the mummification process. A corpse, replete with a wig, lies on top of a mummy preparation bed, the form of which suggest a kneeling figure. Under the table is a set of four canopic jars in which the viscera would have been placed. Two jackals lying down atop pedestals flank the mummy. Hieroglyphic text runs from just below this scene to the tip of the mummy’s feet, framed by images of a kneeling falcon-headed Horus and a winged cobra, one of each on both sides. This marvelous mummy coffin lid depicts the funerary rites of Ancient Egypt in minute detail while simultaneous serving as a monument of the mastery of Egyptian art. - (X.0436)   « Less

Pair of Side Panels from a Painted Wooden Sarcophagus - X.0453 Origin: Egypt Circa: 2040 BC to 1640 BC Collection: Egyptian Style: Middle Kingdom Medium: Painted Wood

Pair of Side Panels from a Painted Wooden Sarcophagus - X.0453 Origin: Egypt Circa: 2040 BC to 1640 BC Collection: Egyptian Style: Middle Kingdom Medium: Painted Wood   « Less

This delightfully small, cylindrically-shaped, faience beaker exhibits a slightly everted mouth, a disc-shaped lip and a protruding off-set foot. There are two columns of  More »

This delightfully small, cylindrically-shaped, faience beaker exhibits a slightly everted mouth, a disc-shaped lip and a protruding off-set foot. There are two columns of hieroglyphs of a lighter turquoise-blue color set into a rectangular frame on one side of the rich, darker blue colour of the vessel itself. Although the hieroglyphs are somewhat faded and some of the signs within the cartouche, or royal ring, are indistinct, the traces of what remain suggest that the cartouche contains the name of one of the kings of Dynasty XIX, and these remains plausibly suggest that that name may have been one of the forms of the prenomen of Sety I, the decoration of whose tomb in the Valley of the Kings ranks among the dynasty’s finest. Such beakers were extremely popular during Dynasty XVIII and variations continued to be created into the Third Intermediate Period and beyond. It is assumed that these vessels were funerary in nature. That suggestion is supported by the mention of the god Sokar on our example because Sokar was originally a funerary deity worshipped at Memphis whose cult was later assimilated into that of Osiris. The two-tone blue color of the faience itself reinforces the funerary symbolism of the vessel because of the associations of that colour with both resurrection and rebirth. It is assumed that such beakers, because of their small size, originally contained precious unguents and balms which were associated with the funerary cults of the deceased. Although ostensibly inscribed with the name of Sety I, our vessel was not necessarily part of his own funerary equipment. Objects such as this might also have been dedicated in sanctuaries for the continued well-being of the dedicator in the Hereafter.   « Less

Origin: Egypt Circa: 664 BC to 525 BC Dimensions: 6.25" (15.9cm) high Collection: Egyptian Style: 26th Dynasty Medium: Bronz and Electrum This magnificent bronze votive  More »

Origin: Egypt Circa: 664 BC to 525 BC Dimensions: 6.25" (15.9cm) high Collection: Egyptian Style: 26th Dynasty Medium: Bronz and Electrum This magnificent bronze votive sculpture represents Osiris, god of fertility, king of the dead, and ruler of eternity. Many centuries ago, it might have been found inside a temple, placed as an offering to the mighty deity. He is depicted wrapped as a mummy, holding a crook and flail. These two attributes act as scepters symbolic of his divine authority over the forces of nature. He wears the atef crown, featuring a Uraeus cobra slithering down the front and a false braided beard with a curved tip. This type of beard is a symbol of divinity while the headdress associates the god with the ruling pharaohs. On the back, a falcon head symbolic of Horus is present. The falcon wears a tripartite wig and is crowned with a double plumed headdress replete with a solar disk and Uraeus cobra. Furthermore, an incised decorative band leads just below the falcon head on his shoulders to the back of his feet. This design appears to imitate colorful beaded necklaces that have been found decorating mummies from this period. This sculpture is in a remarkable state of preservation; even the inlaid electrum eyes have survived intact. 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. This striking image of the god in his royal mummiform speaks of a universal mystery, the unanswered questions for which no living man has a sure answer. - (X.0462)   « Less