AN EGYPTIAN PALE GREEN FAIENCE SISTRUM HANDLE

LATE PERIOD, 26TH DYNASTY, REIGN OF AHMOSE II, CIRCA 570-526 B.C.

Details

AN EGYPTIAN PALE GREEN FAIENCE SISTRUM HANDLE
LATE PERIOD, 26TH DYNASTY, REIGN OF AHMOSE II, CIRCA 570-526 B.C.
In the form of the head of the cow-eared goddess Hathor wearing a wig and an elaborate broad collar and flanked by two uraei, surmounted by the lower section of the naos-shaped sound box, decorated with a uraeus above a row of smaller uraei, both sides identical, the grip inscribed with a column of text on each side, reading: 'Perfect god Lord of the Two Lands, Ahmose-sa-Neith/Khemibre, who gives life, stability and strength, as does Re, for eternity'
8 7/8 in. (22.5 cm.) high

Provenance

Horst and Luise Foehr collection, Cairo and Bonn.
Resandro collection, acquired from the above prior to 1973.

Exhibited

Berlin, Ägyptisches Museum und Papyrussammlung; Berlin, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin; Munich, Staatliche Sammlung Ägyptischer Kunst Munchen; Hamburg, Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe Hamburg, Gott und Götter im Alten Ägypten, 1992-1993.

Brought to you by

Chanel Clarke

cclarke@christies.com +44 (0)20 7752 3331

Lot Essay

PUBLISHED:
Schoske & Wildung, 1993, p. 244, no. 149.
Grimm-Stadelmann, 2012, p. 208, no. R-666.

The sistrum was a musical instrument commonly used by women during religious ceremonies and its sound was believed to please the gods. Sistra were commonly made of bronze and faience examples were strictly votive offerings found in temples and tombs. For a similar example with cartouche for king Ahmose II, cf. Chappaz, 2001, p. 75, no. 64.

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