Egyptian Leaded Bronze Ra Horakhty Amulet w/ Feather

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Antiquities | Asian | Ethnographic Art

By Artemis Gallery

Jul 1, 2021

Set Reminder 2021-07-01 10:00:00 2021-07-01 10:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : Antiquities | Asian | Ethnographic Art https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/antiquities-asian-ethnographic-art-7148
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• Lot Description
  Ancient Egypt, Late Dynastic to Ptolemaic Period, ca. 664 to 30 BCE. A mold-cast leaded bronze amulet of Ra Horakhty (also Re Horakhty), a synthesis of Ra - the god of the sun and king of all deities - and Horakhty - the aspect of the sunrise of Horus. He is referred to as the sun's journey as Ra from one horizon to the other and was a means of presenting Ra as a symbol of hope, rebirth, and realized aspirations. This amulet illustrates Ra Horakhty in a seated, right-facing pose with his knees retracted tightly towards his chest while holding a feather of truth on top. His avian face bears an aquiline raptorial beak and a single ovoid eye beneath a sun disk. Recessed areas on the headdress, pectoral collar striations, and feather perhaps bore colorful inlays of glass or precious stones at one time to further increase the visual appeal of this amulet. An integral suspension loop on the verso indicates how this was perhaps worn on a necklace strand. Size: 1.375" W x 3.6" H (3.5 cm x 9.1 cm); 4.25" H (10.8 cm) on included custom stand.
  
  The inception of Ra-Horakhty in Egyptian mythology is one of intrigue and mythological synthesization. According to author Paul Hamlyn, "[The sun disk] was also called Horus and it was under this name, joined with that of Ra, that he later reigned over all Egypt as Ra-Harakhte. It was claimed that he was reborn every morning of the celestial cow like a suckling calf, or like a little child of the sky-goddess. He was also said to be a falcon with speckled wings flying through space, or the right eye only of the great divine bird. Another conception of him was that of an egg laid daily by the celestial goose, 'the Great Cackler', or more frequently a gigantic scarab rolling before him the incandescent globe of the sun, just as on earth the sacred scarab rolls the ball of dung in which it has deposited its eggs." (Paul Hamlyn Ltd. "Egyptian Mythology." Tudor Publishing Company, New York, 1965, p. 27)
  
  Cf. The Brooklyn Museum, accession number 51.147.1
  
  Provenance: private Corpus Christi, Texas, USA estate collection, acquired 1960s to 1970s
  
  All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
  
  A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
  
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  #165273

  Condition

  Minor abrasions and pitting to obverse and verso, with chipping and wear to areas of original pigment in most recessed areas, otherwise intact and very good. Great patina throughout. Modern brass rod inserted into bottom of amulet for mounting and display purposes.
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