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THBEgyptian Bronze Bastet Holding Sistrum & Aegis
About Seller
686 S Taylor Ave, Ste 106
Louisville, CO 80027
United States
Selling antiquities, ancient and ethnographic art online since 1993, Artemis Gallery specializes in Classical Antiquities (Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Near Eastern), Asian, Pre-Columbian, African / Tribal / Oceanographic art. Our extensive inventory includes pottery, stone, metal, wood, glass and textil...Read more
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About Auction
LiveNov 15, 2024
Classical antiquities and ethnographic masterpieces, with treasures from every corner of the globe. Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com
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- Lot Description
Ancient Egypt, Late Dynastic Period, ca. 712 to 332 BCE. leaded bronze statuette of the feline goddess Bastet from the Late Dynastic Period. The goddess of fertility, festivity, and intoxication, Bastet is shown in traditional form with a cat head and a human body. She holds a sistrum or Egyptian rattle in her right hand, while her left carries an aegis - a symbol of protection in the form of a broad collar surmounted by a lion goddess' head wearing a sun disc, perhaps representing Bastet herself in her original fierce manifestation. Size: 1.4" W x 3.6" H (3.6 cm x 9.1 cm); 5" H (12.7 cm) on included custom stand.
The aegis is probably to be interpreted as the top of the counterpoise to a 'menyet' collar of loosely strung beads, another musical instrument connected with merrymaking; when shaken the beads would clack together.
Bastet was initially a lioness goddess associated with the solar god and channeled its destructive powers. However, "With the Middle Kingdom the cat appeared as Bastet's sacred animal and after the New Kingdom she was depicted with a cat's head. The goddess' character became more and more friendly. She was connected with the moon . . . [and] The 'raging' aspect of earlier times was transferred to the goddess Sekhmet, who thereby became the negative, destructive side of Bastet." (Lurker, Manfred. "The Gods and Symbols of Ancient Egypt." Thames and Hudson, London, 1986, p. 32) Ever since, statuettes comprised of various materials have characterized her as a doting mother cat. Her cult expanded decisively when her town of Bubastis (derived from Per Bastet, meaning "House of Bastet") became the royal residence of the kings of the 22nd Dynasty during the 10th century BCE. The city hosted an annual festival honoring Bastet in celebration of the Nile flood waters, and she was honored throughout Egypt through the first millennium BCE.
Beyond the goddess, cats - known in ancient Egypt as "mau" - were honored and protected in Egyptian society. Herodotus famously wrote that Egyptian men would protect cats from fire and that households would mourn the death of a cat and by shaving their eyebrows to signify their loss. A bronze votive like this example was perhaps sold at a temple in Bubastis to a worshipper and either given as an offering or kept in a personal shrine or altar. The quality of this votive suggests that it was a rich and potent offering.
A similar, though slightly larger, bronze figure of Bastet hammered 52,100 British pounds (equivalent to $87,653.04 at the time) at Christie's London on September 23rd, 1998 (lot 143, live auction 8126).
Provenance: private Jones collection, Boulder, Colorado, USA; Bastet: ex-Artemis Gallery, Louisville, Colorado, USA, acquired via a private sale in 2022; ex-private Florida, USA collection acquired over thirty years ago
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#181628Bastet has chipping to tops of ears and expected surface wear with nicks and abrasions as shown, all commensurate with age. Otherwise, intact and excellent with liberal remaining detail and rich patina throughout.Condition
- Shipping Info
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**Please note, we are currently unable to ship to Germany, Switzerland and Australia due to customs clearance issues. We are working to resolve this issue. If you are in Germany, Switzerland or Australia, you will need to provide an alternate shipping destination, arrange your own shipping, or we will not be able to complete your purchase.* **For shipments outside of the USA, custom / duties may apply upon entry into said country; this fee, if any, is the buyer's responsibility. Also, please be aware that Artemis Gallery will NOT falsify customs value on any international shipments - what you pay is what we declare, no exceptions. If you have questions about this, please inquire BEFORE bidding**
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