Egyptian Faience Bead with Cartouches of Pharaoh Amasis

拍品描述

Late Period, 26th Dynasty, circa 664-525 B.C. Square in plan with transverse piercing, obverse with three panels: the left bearing a cartouche surmounted by two plumes containing the pharaoh’s birth name, i??ms s? nt (Ahmose, son (of) Neith); the right, a similar cartouche containing his throne name, ?nm-i?b-R? (He who embraces the heart of Re); the centre inscription reads, ?pw ?n? s? ?pt(?) (the living Apis, son [of] Hepet?) two with a cartouche for Amasis, text to the centre. Cf. Zecchi, M., The Naos of Amasis, Leiden, 2019, fig.III.8, for a cartouche of Amasis. 4.96 grams, 26 mm (1 in.). (For this specific lot, 5% import VAT is applicable on the hammer price.) Ex private collection, Germany. with Galerie Günter Puhze, Freiburg, Germany, prior to 2003. Private collection, acquired on the German art market, 2004. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.13186-249203. The three-column text arrangement closely resembles that of another rectangular spacer bead, engraved with Ahmose II’s cartouches flanking a central inscription, now held at The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore (accession number 42.377). Although the central inscription differs in content, the bead’s connection to the Apis bull is shown on the opposite side, where the sacred animal is depicted. Amasis II (Egyptian: Ahmose II), fifth king of the 26th Dynasty (Saite Period), reigned c. 570–526 BC. Rising to power after overthrowing Apries, Amasis presided over a period of renewed stability and prosperity in Late Period Egypt. His reign is characterised by administrative reform, economic growth, and an active foreign policy, including close diplomatic and commercial relations with the Greek world, evidenced by Greek mercenaries in Egyptian service and the granting of Naukratis as a trading enclave. Amasis undertook extensive temple building and restoration programmes throughout Egypt, particularly at Sais, Memphis, and in Upper Egypt, consciously aligning himself with earlier pharaonic traditions. His royal titulary appears widely on monuments, scarabs, amulets, and architectural elements, often reflecting an emphasis on divine legitimacy and Ma?at. Amasis died shortly before the Persian conquest of Egypt under Cambyses II; his reign represents the final florescence of independent Egyptian kingship before Achaemenid rule. TimeLine Auctions follows a rigorous vetting process to ensure the authenticity and legality of all items, reinforcing our commitment to integrity and responsible trading. Each antiquity, antique, and coin lot undergoes thorough examination by a vetting committee of at least ten external specialists, professional trade association members, scientists, and archaeologists. See our website for more information.

图片