Origin: Egypt Circa: 750 BC to 250 BC Dimensions: 2.25" (5.7cm) high x 1.125" (2.9cm) wide Collection: Egyptian Style: Late Dynastic Period Medium: Faience Shu was the  More »

Origin: Egypt Circa: 750 BC to 250 BC Dimensions: 2.25" (5.7cm) high x 1.125" (2.9cm) wide Collection: Egyptian Style: Late Dynastic Period Medium: Faience Shu was the primordial Egyptian god of the atmosphere and of dry winds. The name "Shu" is probably related to the root shu meaning "dry, empty." Shu also seems to be a personification of the sun's rays of light and the glow of the moon. In the Heliopolitan creation myth, Shu was, along with his sister Tefnut, one of the first deities created by the sun god Atum, either from his semen or from the mucus of his nostrils. Shu symbolizes dry air and the force of preservation. Tefnut symbolizes moist or corrosive air that brings about change, creating the concept of time. Shu and Tefnut were also said to be but two halves of one soul, perhaps the earliest recorded example of "soulmates." Tefnut became his consort, giving birth to the sky goddess Nut and the earth god Geb. Shu separated Geb and Nut (heaven and earth) by interposing himself between them. Depicted in human form, often wearing upon his head an ostrich feather (the hieroglyph for his name), holding up the sky with two hands, one supporting it at the place of sunrise, and the other at the place of sunset. This faience sculpture represents Shu kneeling upon one leg, in the act of lifting up with his two hands and the sky with the solar disk in it. Although diminutive in scale, the sculptor has expertly rendered Shu in his divine human form. The only detail lacking is the ostrich plume, displaced by the solar disk. Such a sacrifice reveals the dilemma the artist faced while attempting to represent the god’s attributes while simultaneously creating a balanced and aesthetically pleasing work. Thus, although missing the feather, the artist has successfully conveyed the identity of the god while diminishing none of the artistic qualities that pervade this amulet. - (PF.5796)   « Less

Origin: Egypt Circa: 1000 BC to 500 BC Dimensions: 2.25" (5.7cm) high Collection: Egyptian Style: Late Dynastic Period Medium: Faience In early Egyptian religion,  More »

Origin: Egypt Circa: 1000 BC to 500 BC Dimensions: 2.25" (5.7cm) high Collection: Egyptian Style: Late Dynastic Period Medium: Faience In early Egyptian religion, Anubis was the God of the Dead. However, by the beginning of the Old Kingdom, he was superseded by Osiris. Anubis then became one of the gods of the funerary cult, specifically embalming, and the God of Cemeteries. He helped protect the dead and lead them into the underworld. The Ancient Egyptians believed that when after death, one traveled to the interim realm of the Hall of the Dead. There, Anubis weighed your heart against the feather of Ma'at, the Goddess of Justice. First, he steadied the scales to make the balance was fair. If your heart was heavier than the feather, an ostrich plume, then it was eaten by a demon. If the deceased’s heart was lighter than the feather, Anubis guided them towards Osiris to begin their journey through the underworld. In fact, we continue to speak of "a heart as light as a feather" or "heavy-hearted” even today. This diminutive sculpture of Anubis would have originally been worn as a pendant on a necklace, as is evident from the drilled hole in the back. Most likely, it would have graced the neck of a funerary priest or an ancient mortician responsible for mummifications. The god stands stiffly in a truly archaic posture with his fists clenched and held tightly at his sides. His jackal head sits upon his shoulders as if a mask. Given his significant position in the afterlife, it is especially eerie to consider his large, alert ears and long nose. Clearly this god, the judge of our eternal souls, is aware of all of our earthly successes and failures. He gazes at us without a hint of sympathy or concern. He weighs hearts without pity or remorse, condemning some to damnation and sending others towards the afterlife. - (PF.5794)   « Less

Origin: Egypt Circa: 664 BC to 525 BC Dimensions: 2.5" (6.4cm) high Collection: Egyptian Style: 26th Dynasty Medium: Faience Sekhmet, along with her husband the  More »

Origin: Egypt Circa: 664 BC to 525 BC Dimensions: 2.5" (6.4cm) high Collection: Egyptian Style: 26th Dynasty Medium: Faience Sekhmet, along with her husband the creator-god Ptah and their son Nerfertum, was part of the powerful trio of deities that protected Ancient Memphis. She was a sun goddess, embodying the scorching, burning, destructive heat of the sun. Fierce goddess of war, the destroyer of the enemies of Ra and Osiris, she was represented as having the head of a lioness and the body of a female human. Like the sun, her temper was uncontrollable. In the legend of Ra and Hathor, Sekhmet's anger became so great, she would have destroyed all of mankind if Ra had not taken pity on us and made her drunk. This diminutive pendent is a masterpiece of intricacy. Originally, this ancient statuette would have been worn as a pendant hung on a necklace, as is evident from the loop present behind the goddess’s head. She is depicted with the head of a lion and the body of a human wearing a long, close fitting robe. Seated upon an openwork throne, she holds a sistrum, or rattle, in her hand. The features of the lioness are remarkably naturalistic, and yet, at the same time, we can sense the power of her divinity. Perhaps this pendant once graced the neck of a high-ranking official from the city of Memphis. Surely, given the symbolic significance of Sekhmet and the absolute mastery of the carving, this pendant was worn only by an elite member of Ancient Egyptian society. Certain objects, masterpieces treasured in their own time, are of an eternal beauty that is easily appreciated regardless of era or culture. This pendant is one such stunning example; a reminder of the tremendous splendor humanity is able to create when at the apex of a great civilization. - (X.0122)   « Less

Origin: Egypt Circa: 600 BC to 400 BC Dimensions: 2" (5.1cm) high Collection: Egyptian Antiquities Style: Late Dynastic Period Medium: Faience Faience, which dates back  More »

Origin: Egypt Circa: 600 BC to 400 BC Dimensions: 2" (5.1cm) high Collection: Egyptian Antiquities Style: Late Dynastic Period Medium: Faience Faience, which dates back to pre-dynastic times, of at least 5,000 years, is a glasslike non-clay substance made of materials common to Egypt: ground quartz, crushed quartz pebbles, flint, a soluble salt-like baking soda, lime and ground copper, which provided the characteristic color. The dried objects went into kilns looking pale and colorless but emerged a sparkling "Egyptian blue." Called tjehnet by the ancient Egyptians, meaning that which is brilliant or scintillating, faience was thought to be filled with the undying light of the sun, moon and stars and was symbolic of rebirth. Ancient Egyptians believed the small blue-green objects helped prepare them for eternity in the afterlife. Sekhmet, along with her husband the creator- god Ptah and their son Nerfertum, was part of the powerful trio of deities that protected Ancient Memphis. She was a sun goddess, embodying the scorching, burning, destructive heat of the sun. Fierce goddess of war, the destroyer of the enemies of Ra and Osiris, she was represented as having the head of a lioness and the body of a female human. Like the sun, her temper was uncontrollable. In the legend of Ra and Hathor, Sekhmet's anger became so great, she would have destroyed all of mankind if Ra had not taken pity on us and made her drunk.   « Less

Origin: Egypt Circa: 716 BC to 30 BC Dimensions: 2.5" (6.4cm) high Collection: Egyptian Style: Late Dynastic/Ptolemaic Period Medium: Electrum Sekhmet, along with her  More »

Origin: Egypt Circa: 716 BC to 30 BC Dimensions: 2.5" (6.4cm) high Collection: Egyptian Style: Late Dynastic/Ptolemaic Period Medium: Electrum Sekhmet, along with her husband the creator-god Ptah and their son Nerfertum, was part of the powerful trio of deities that protected Ancient Memphis. She was a sun goddess, embodying the scorching, burning, destructive heat of the sun. Fierce goddess of war, the destroyer of the enemies of Ra and Osiris, she was represented as having the head of a lioness and the body of a female human. Like the sun, her temper was uncontrollable. In the legend of Ra and Hathor, Sekhmet's anger became so great, she would have destroyed all of mankind if Ra had not taken pity on us and made her drunk. This diminutive electrum amulet is a masterpiece of intricacy. Originally, this ancient statuette would have been attached to a small base, perhaps inserted into a shrine of sorts, as indicated by the pin underneath her feet. She is depicted with the head of a lion and the body of a human wearing a long, close fitting robe. Represented seated, she holds long stemmed lotus bud in her right hand. The features of the lioness are remarkably naturalistic, and yet, at the same time, we can sense the power of her divinity. Perhaps this pendant once stood on a shrine inside the house of a high-ranking official from the city of Memphis. Surely, given the inherent value of the material, the symbolic significance of Sekhmet, and the absolute mastery of the carving, this pendant could only have been possessed by an elite member of Ancient Egyptian society. Certain objects, masterpieces treasured in their own time, are of an eternal beauty that is easily appreciated regardless of era or culture. This amulet is one such stunning example; a reminder of the tremendous splendor humanity is able to create when at the apex of a great civilization. - (X.0179)   « Less

Origin: Egypt Circa: 305 BC to 100 AD Collection: Egyptian Style: 26th Dynasty Medium: Faience This turquoise-blue faience amulet represents an ibis-headed male figure  More »

Origin: Egypt Circa: 305 BC to 100 AD Collection: Egyptian Style: 26th Dynasty Medium: Faience This turquoise-blue faience amulet represents an ibis-headed male figure in the classic Egyptian attitude of striding forward with his left leg advanced on an integral base to which is attached an integral back pillar. The figure wears a belted, striated kilt and striated, tripartite wig. His arms are held down along the sides of his body and his hand holds an ankh-sign. The torso modeling is characterized by a pronounced bipartition with emphasis placed on the stomach and lower abdomen. The dating of this amulet of Thoth, god of wisdom, is suggested by the color of the faience used, a color which was extremely popular during the Ptolemaic and early Roman Imperial Period in Egypt. Despite the plurality of meanings inherent in visual symbols in ancient Egyptian culture, the ibis appears to have been reserved almost exclusively for associations with Thoth, the god of wisdom, inventor of the hieroglyphs, and patron of scribes. Why this particular bird should have come to be associated with Thoth is shrouded in mystery and remains an enigma, but the association may ultimately derive from the fact that Thoth’s sacred site, Ashumunein in Middle Egypt, employs the hieroglyph of the ibis in the writing of the name of the nome, or province, in which this city is located. The small scale of this amulet suggests that it served a funerary function, a function which is reinforced by its turquoise blue color. Objects so colored are imbued with concepts of rebirth, regeneration, and fecundity. Those concepts are emphasized by the ankh-sign, symbol of life, which Thoth holds in his hand. Because Thoth was believed to record the verdict in the Hall of Judgment when the heart of the deceased was weighed against the feather of Maat, the blue color of the faience in association with the ankh-sign indicate that this amulet symbolized the triumph of the deceased at that tribunal and eternal existence in the Hereafter. Carol Andrews, Amulets of Ancient Egypt (Austin 1994), frontis and page 24, figure 20, for two similar examples in London, The British Museum, neither of which, however, holds an ankh-sign in its hands. Dorothea Arnold, An Egyptian Bestiary (New York 1995), page 63, for the use of this particular color of faience as a dating criterion. Wolfgang Helck and Eberhard Otto, Kleines Lexikon der Ägyptologie [edited by Rosemarie Drekhahn] (Wiesbaden 1999), 310-311, for a succinct discussion of the god Thoth and the animals associated with his cult. - (X.0323)   « Less

Origin: Egypt Circa: 664 BC to 525 BC Collection: Egyptian Style: 26th Dynasty Medium: Faience The 26th Dynasty, also known as the Saite Period, is traditionally placed  More »

Origin: Egypt Circa: 664 BC to 525 BC Collection: Egyptian Style: 26th Dynasty Medium: Faience 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. Psamtik 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 pharaohs in order to bolster their own claims to power and legitimize their authority. The first examples of amulets appeared in Ancient Egypt as early as 4000 B.C. Believed to possess magical powers that protected the wearer or bestowed upon the properties they symbolized, amulets were worn both by the living as well as the dead. Throughout their evolution, talismans were crafted from a variety of materials including precious metals such as gold and silver, semiprecious stone like jasper and carnelian, as well as other more affordable glazed compositions such as faience. The particular powers of an individual amulet were based upon its specific shape, although the material and even the color of the charm could affect its magical abilities. While many of the amulets created to be worn by the living could also be worn after death, there also existed a specific group of charms that were made specifically to be placed upon the mummified remains of the deceased. All together, amulets represent an important class of Ancient Egyptian art that furthers our understanding of their complex religious beliefs.   « Less

Origin: Egypt Circa: 664 BC to 525 BC Collection: Egyptian Style: 26th Dynasty Medium: Faience The 26th Dynasty, also known as the Saite Period, is traditionally placed  More »

Origin: Egypt Circa: 664 BC to 525 BC Collection: Egyptian Style: 26th Dynasty Medium: Faience 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. Psamtik 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 pharaohs in order to bolster their own claims to power and legitimize their authority. The first examples of amulets appeared in Ancient Egypt as early as 4000 B.C. Believed to possess magical powers that protected the wearer or bestowed upon the properties they symbolized, amulets were worn both by the living as well as the dead. Throughout their evolution, talismans were crafted from a variety of materials including precious metals such as gold and silver, semiprecious stone like jasper and carnelian, as well as other more affordable glazed compositions such as faience. The particular powers of an individual amulet were based upon its specific shape, although the material and even the color of the charm could affect its magical abilities. While many of the amulets created to be worn by the living could also be worn after death, there also existed a specific group of charms that were made specifically to be placed upon the mummified remains of the deceased. All together, amulets represent an important class of Ancient Egyptian art that furthers our understanding of their complex religious beliefs.   « Less

Origin: Egypt Circa: 664 BC to 525 BC Collection: Egyptian Style: 26th Dynasty Medium: Faience The 26th Dynasty, also known as the Saite Period, is traditionally placed  More »

Origin: Egypt Circa: 664 BC to 525 BC Collection: Egyptian Style: 26th Dynasty Medium: Faience 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. Psamtik 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 pharaohs in order to bolster their own claims to power and legitimize their authority. The first examples of amulets appeared in Ancient Egypt as early as 4000 B.C. Believed to possess magical powers that protected the wearer or bestowed upon the properties they symbolized, amulets were worn both by the living as well as the dead. Throughout their evolution, talismans were crafted from a variety of materials including precious metals such as gold and silver, semiprecious stone like jasper and carnelian, as well as other more affordable glazed compositions such as faience. The particular powers of an individual amulet were based upon its specific shape, although the material and even the color of the charm could affect its magical abilities. While many of the amulets created to be worn by the living could also be worn after death, there also existed a specific group of charms that were made specifically to be placed upon the mummified remains of the deceased. All together, amulets represent an important class of Ancient Egyptian art that furthers our understanding of their complex religious beliefs.   « Less

Origin: Egypt Circa: 664 BC to 525 BC Collection: Egyptian Style: 26th Dynasty Medium: Faience The 26th Dynasty, also known as the Saite Period, is traditionally placed  More »

Origin: Egypt Circa: 664 BC to 525 BC Collection: Egyptian Style: 26th Dynasty Medium: Faience 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. Psamtik 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. Faience, which dates back to predynastic times, at least 5,000 years, is a glasslike non-clay substance made of materials common to Egypt: ground quartz, crushed quartz pebbles, flint, a soluble salt-like baking soda, lime and ground copper, which provided the characteristic color. The dried objects went into kilns looking pale and colorless but emerged a sparkling "Egyptian blue." Called tjehnet by the Ancient Egyptians, meaning that which is brilliant or scintillating, faience was thought to be filled with the undying light of the sun, moon and stars and was symbolic of rebirth. Ancient Egyptians believed the small blue-green objects helped prepare them for eternity in the afterlife.   « Less