Origin: Egypt Circa: 600 BC to 525 BC Dimensions: 1.75 " (4.4cm) wide Collection: Egyptian Art Style: Late Dynastic Period Medium: Jasper By far the most important  More »

Origin: Egypt Circa: 600 BC to 525 BC Dimensions: 1.75 " (4.4cm) wide Collection: Egyptian Art Style: Late Dynastic Period Medium: Jasper By far the most important amulet in ancient Egypt was the scarab, symbolically as sacred to the Egyptians as the cross is to Christians. Based upon the dung beetle, this sacred creature forms a ball of dung around its semen and rolls it in a large ball over the sand dropping it into its burrow. The female lays her eggs on the ground and covers them with the excrement ball that is consumed by the larvae that emerge in the following days as if miraculously reborn. In the life cycle of the beetle, the Ancient Egyptians envisioned a microcosm of the daily rebirth of the sun. They imagined the ancient sun god Khepri was a great scarab beetle rolling the sun across the heavens. The scarab also became a symbol of the enduring human soul as well, hence its frequent appearance in funerary art. Scarabs of various materials form an important class of Egyptian antiquities. Though they first appeared in the late Old Kingdom (roughly 2575–2130 B.C.), scarabs remained rare until Middle Kingdom times (circa 1938-1600 B.C.) when they were fashioned in great numbers. While some were used as ornaments, others were purely amuletic in purpose. - (OS.034 )   « Less

Origin: Egypt Circa: 600 AD to 800 AD Dimensions: 14.125" (35.9cm) high x 2" (5.1cm) wide Catalogue: V1 Collection: Egyptian Style: Coptic Medium: Textile As the  More »

Origin: Egypt Circa: 600 AD to 800 AD Dimensions: 14.125" (35.9cm) high x 2" (5.1cm) wide Catalogue: V1 Collection: Egyptian Style: Coptic Medium: Textile As the Classical age drew to a close, the flowering of Christian Egypt produced a remarkable textile art. This tunic decoration, called a clavus, depicts motifs that are both pagan and Christian, a mixing of imagery not uncommon in Late Antiquity. A saint, apostle or evangelist, his head surrounded with a nimbus, shares space with flying spirits and wild beasts. Such a colorful masterpiece of the weaver's art seems to sum up the vitality, the vivid excitement of the age that created it. - (P.4488)   « Less

Centuries ago, this delightful vessel perhaps contained precious oil or rare perfume. Once suspended from a cord, it was perhaps among the prized possessions of an ancient  More »

Centuries ago, this delightful vessel perhaps contained precious oil or rare perfume. Once suspended from a cord, it was perhaps among the prized possessions of an ancient beauty, who adorned herself with its fragrant contents. If we hold it to our nose, our imaginations can perhaps capture the delicate scent of flowers that bloomed long ago - (EB.002)   « Less

Truly utilitarian in its design, yet delightfully elegant in its simplicity, this three handled vessel may have served as a cooking pot or a storage jar for a shepherd during  More »

Truly utilitarian in its design, yet delightfully elegant in its simplicity, this three handled vessel may have served as a cooking pot or a storage jar for a shepherd during the millennium prior to the Israelite patriarchs. It is eminently sturdy, and strives to contain as much as its owner requires. As we hold it in our hands today, admiring its simple beauty, we are aware of the touch of other hands long ago. Who might have held it when it was new? Were the dreams and emotions that guided their lives so very different from our own? The vessel's graceful unadorned shape appeals as much to the contemporary eye as it did to the culture that created it. Such artifacts, ordinary enough in their own age, connect us in an intimate way with the world of the past. In its presence, the centuries melt away and the imagination sets out on a journey of discovery. - (SP.251)   « Less

Origin: Fayoum, Egypt Circa: 100 AD to 200 AD Dimensions: 9" (22.9cm) high x 5.875" (14.9cm) wide Catalogue: V4 Collection: Egyptian Style: Roman Period Medium: Painted  More »

Origin: Fayoum, Egypt Circa: 100 AD to 200 AD Dimensions: 9" (22.9cm) high x 5.875" (14.9cm) wide Catalogue: V4 Collection: Egyptian Style: Roman Period Medium: Painted Plaster A continuation of the Ancient Egyptian tradition of depicting the deceased in funerary art, this splendid mask displays a vivid and realistic approach to portraiture that reflects the influence of Hellenistic and Roman art. Looking upon the serene, slightly smiling face of this pretty woman who lived when Egypt was the richest province of the Roman Empire, we feel as if we know her well. We understand her desire to be remembered long after her life on earth had ended, to preserve for all eternity the unfading image of herself. In this objective, she has certainly succeeded, for in the presence of this lovely mask we cannot help but think about the ancient person for whom this is the only remaining clue. - (PF.0033)   « Less

In the millennium before the patriarch Abraham, this elegant vessel might have held an offering of food or drink. It was perhaps left as a votive offering to win the favor of  More »

In the millennium before the patriarch Abraham, this elegant vessel might have held an offering of food or drink. It was perhaps left as a votive offering to win the favor of a powerful deity. Or perhaps it held sauces or condiments to delight the palate and spruce up an otherwise humble meal for a shepherd. As we hold it in our hands today, admiring its simple beauty, we are aware of the touch of other hands long ago. Who might have held it when it was new? Were the dreams and emotions that guided their lives so very different from our own? The vessel's graceful unadorned shape appeals as much to the contemporary eye as it did to the culture that created it. Such artifacts, ordinary enough in their own age, connect us in an intimate way with the world of the past. In its presence, we cross the bridge of time and set the imagination on a journey of discovery. - (SP.349)   « Less

Origin: Sinai, Egypt Circa: 4000 BC to 3000 BC Dimensions: 2.25" (5.7cm) high x 2.25" (5.7cm) wide Catalogue: V1 Collection: Egyptian Style: Predynastic Medium:  More »

Origin: Sinai, Egypt Circa: 4000 BC to 3000 BC Dimensions: 2.25" (5.7cm) high x 2.25" (5.7cm) wide Catalogue: V1 Collection: Egyptian Style: Predynastic Medium: Stone The vessel is characterized by a body which resembles a container made from the skin of an animal. Such vessels are commonly depicted in Egyptian tomb paintings of the later Ramesside Period where they appear to be made of the skins of goats. The lip is off-set from the body which is provided with two handles. The walls of the vessel are characteristically thin, contributing to its delicate translucency which attests to the skill of the ancient Egyptian craftsmen in creating such wafer-thin, stone objects. The shape of the vessel relates it to other imitation animal-skin sack-like vessels, one example of which is in London, The British Museum. This example is dated to the late Predynastic to early Archaic Period roughly between 3200-2800 BC. As such it conforms to the large number of experimental shapes which characterize the repertoire of stone vases at the dawn of Egypt’s history.   « Less

In the millennium before the patriarch Abraham, this elegant vessel might have held an offering of food or drink. It was perhaps left as a votive offering to win the favor of  More »

In the millennium before the patriarch Abraham, this elegant vessel might have held an offering of food or drink. It was perhaps left as a votive offering to win the favor of a powerful deity. Or perhaps it held sauces or condiments to delight the palate and spruce up an otherwise humble meal for a shepherd. As we hold it in our hands today, admiring its simple beauty, we are aware of the touch of other hands long ago. Who might have held it when it was new? Were the dreams and emotions that guided their lives so very different from our own? The vessel's graceful unadorned shape appeals as much to the contemporary eye as it did to the culture that created it. Such artifacts, ordinary enough in their own age, connect us in an intimate way with the world of the past. In its presence, we cross the bridge of time and set the imagination on a journey of discovery. - (SP.357)   « Less

Created during the millennium prior to the age of the biblical patriarchs, this simple but charming vessel glows with the rich patina of history. Who can say through whose  More »

Created during the millennium prior to the age of the biblical patriarchs, this simple but charming vessel glows with the rich patina of history. Who can say through whose hands it might have passed centuries ago? It may have held oil used for anointing people in religious ceremonies, and it was perhaps from a jug similar to this that Abraham would later anoint Isaac in the moment before the angel appeared. Or perhaps it held perfume, purchased as a gift by a loving husband for his wife. Such a vessel would have been a necessity in the ancient world to contain and transport precious oils and unguents for ritual or daily usage. Although its original contents have long disappeared, the energy of those vanished lives is still contained within this vessel. This jug was once a vital, indispensable part of everyday life in the ancient world. Today, it is even more valuable to our modern lives, not as a container, but as a symbol of the past. This jug holds history inside, it reminds us of the lives, the joys and struggles, the triumphs and defeats, of those who came before us. Whose hands might have held it so long ago we can only guess, yet the connection is a direct one between our age and theirs. - (SP.358)   « Less

Origin: Egypt Circa: 300 AD to 500 AD Catalogue: V1 Collection: Egyptian Style: Coptic Medium: Papyrus The term "Copt" originally referred to the native Egyptians, as  More »

Origin: Egypt Circa: 300 AD to 500 AD Catalogue: V1 Collection: Egyptian Style: Coptic Medium: Papyrus The term "Copt" originally referred to the native Egyptians, as opposed to the Greek or Arab invaders. While later "Copt" became a religious designation referring to Christian Egyptians, the Coptic period is defined as the first millennium of the Christian era, when Christianity thrived in Egypt. The style of Coptic art evolved from the late antique art of Egypt, retaining Greek and Roman influences. Economic conditions doubtless played a major role in the emergence of a freer, more popular style of art; the lack of an extensive patronage system is evident in many aspects of Coptic art, the emphasis on more personal, less monumental art, the avoidance of costly materials, and the dearth of skilled craftsmen with extensive training among them. The stylistic tendencies of Coptic art move away from a naturalistic rendering of the human form and features. Outline and detail are simplified, and the number of motifs is limited. As a written language, Coptic was derived mainly from the Greek alphabet with seven additional characters from Demotic (the common language of the Ancient Egyptians) to account for sounds in the language not present in Greek. Coptic codices and their contemporary counterparts written in Greek (which was the language of scholars and the elite classes in Alexandrian Egypt) represent some of the earliest sources of the Bible. A variety of regional dialects are recorded in the papyrus manuscripts that allow modern scholar to pinpoint the origins of certain texts. This astounding papyrus codex is written in the Coptic language. If translated, the text would likely refer to one of the books of the New Testament. - (PF.0336)   « Less