An Egyptian pottery jar sealing
Early Dynastic Period, 1st Dynasty, circa 3050 B.C.
The ovoid surface with rolled out hieroglyphs in relief from a cylinder seal, with the name of the vizier Hemaka and the Horus name of King Den, 4¾in (12cm) diam., with an old label on the underside inscribed '1-4 Den Setiu 20'; five Egyptian relief fragments, including one of limestone carved with the profile head of a male with closely cropped hair, facing left, probably Old Kingdom, 2¾in (7cm), the back inscribed, E.H. Heckett, mounted; another of green glazed composition with a profile archaic male royal head facing right, wearing a chin-strap and beard, 21/8in (5.5cm); a limestone left edge stela fragment carved with the profile figure of a mummiform male wearing a tri-partite wig, with lotus flower above, under a stream of blue water, remnants of hieroglyphs for 'true of voice' above, probably Ramesside, 4¼in (10.9cm) high; a small limestone fragment carved with a squatting god facing right wearing two tall plumes and holding an ostrich feather on his knees, probably Amun-Re as a protective deity, Ramesside, 27/8in (7.4cm) mounted; and a quartzite fragment inscribed with the remnants of three vertical columns of hieroglyphs, unintelligible, New Kingdom, 4½in (11.5cm), mounted; an Egyptian red quartzite fragment of a male head showing the left ear and striated wig tucked behind, probably New Kingdom, 2in (5cm); and a terracotta plaque moulded with the façade of a temple with a winged sun-disc and a seated figure inside, 5¼in (13.3cm) high (8)
Early Dynastic Period, 1st Dynasty, circa 3050 B.C.
The ovoid surface with rolled out hieroglyphs in relief from a cylinder seal, with the name of the vizier Hemaka and the Horus name of King Den, 4¾in (12cm) diam., with an old label on the underside inscribed '1-4 Den Setiu 20'; five Egyptian relief fragments, including one of limestone carved with the profile head of a male with closely cropped hair, facing left, probably Old Kingdom, 2¾in (7cm), the back inscribed, E.H. Heckett, mounted; another of green glazed composition with a profile archaic male royal head facing right, wearing a chin-strap and beard, 21/8in (5.5cm); a limestone left edge stela fragment carved with the profile figure of a mummiform male wearing a tri-partite wig, with lotus flower above, under a stream of blue water, remnants of hieroglyphs for 'true of voice' above, probably Ramesside, 4¼in (10.9cm) high; a small limestone fragment carved with a squatting god facing right wearing two tall plumes and holding an ostrich feather on his knees, probably Amun-Re as a protective deity, Ramesside, 27/8in (7.4cm) mounted; and a quartzite fragment inscribed with the remnants of three vertical columns of hieroglyphs, unintelligible, New Kingdom, 4½in (11.5cm), mounted; an Egyptian red quartzite fragment of a male head showing the left ear and striated wig tucked behind, probably New Kingdom, 2in (5cm); and a terracotta plaque moulded with the façade of a temple with a winged sun-disc and a seated figure inside, 5¼in (13.3cm) high (8)
Sold for
£14,400
inc. premium
Footnotes
- Provenance:
Property from an American deceased estate, acquired between 1970 and 1989.
Literature:
With reference to the jar sealing, such examples have been found in Hemaka's tomb at Saqqara and also at King Den's tomb at Abydos. They would have been used to cover the mouth of wine or food jars.
Auction Notices
- Please note that the terracotta plaque in this lot is probably Phoenician. For a similar example excavated from the precinct of Baalat Gubal at Byblos in Lebanon, cf. G.E. Markoe, 'Phoenicians', (Berkeley 2000), fig. 43.
Category: Antiquities
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