AN EGYPTIAN BRONZE ‘APIS BULL’ PENDANT, LATE PERIOD-PTOLEMAIC PERIOD

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AN EGYPTIAN BRONZE ‘APIS BULL’ PENDANT, LATE PERIOD-PTOLEMAIC PERIOD This lot is from a single owner collection and is therefore offered without reserve Egypt, 664-30 BC. Skillfully cast, the animal depicted standing on an oval base in a subtly dynamic stance as if gently moving forward. Its body is lightly incised, suggesting the presence of a mantle draped over its back, extending toward a powerful neck and a well-modeled head marked by a prominent snout and a pair of horns bearing a sun disk between them. The nape of the bovine fitted with a small loop for suspension. Important Note: For essential information on the Jorgen Ruben Gallery Ledger and provenance documentation please visit here: www.zacke.at/rubencollection_ledger Dimensions: Length 3.2 cm The cult of the Apis is attested as early as Dynasty I, and, unlike many other sacred animals in ancient Egypt, this sacred bull was not merely associated with a particular deity but was arguably regarded as a divinity in his own right. A single living representative was kept in the precincts of the temple of Ptah at Memphis. The bull chosen for this role bore distinctive markings, including a white triangle on the forehead and black patches on the body resembling winged birds or scarabs. It is frequently depicted, as in this example, wearing a large solar disk, a banded collar, and a decorated rectangular cloth draped over its back. Bronze statuettes of Apis became especially widespread during the Late and Ptolemaic periods, primarily in the Memphite region, the principal center of his cult. Fewer examples are attested at other Delta sites, such as Bubastis and Heracleion. Literature comparison: Compare a closely related silver ‘Apil bull’ pendant, dated early Ptolemaic Period, 4th-3rd century BC, 2.7 cm long, in the Walters Art Museum, Baltimore, accession number 57.1477. Compare a closely related bronze statuette of an Apis bull, dated Late Period to Roman Period, 5.9 cm long, in the World Museum, Liverpool, accession number 1973.2.547.

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