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An Egyptian almost life-size bronze and wood striding ibis image 1
An Egyptian almost life-size bronze and wood striding ibis image 2
An Egyptian almost life-size bronze and wood striding ibis image 3
An Egyptian almost life-size bronze and wood striding ibis image 4
An Egyptian almost life-size bronze and wood striding ibis image 5
Property from a Princely Collection (Lots 1-74)
Lot 28

An Egyptian almost life-size bronze and wood striding ibis

Amended
Antiquities
4 July 2024, 11:00 BST
London, New Bond Street

Sold for £82,950 inc. premium

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An Egyptian almost life-size bronze and wood striding ibis
Late Period, circa 664-332 B.C.
44cm high

Footnotes

Provenance:
Private collection, UK, purchased from the Cairo Museum in 1957 or 1958.
Anonymous sale; Bonhams, London, 29 April 2004, lot 17.
Property of a Princely Collection, acquired at the above sale.

This striking bronze and wood ibis is a remarkable survival. The eyes are rendered in inlaid obsidian, and the tail and legs are naturalistically depicted with incised detailing of the skin, claws and webbing. Shown striding, it is of a far rarer type than the more commonly found sitting or squatting variety. Cf. another example of a walking ibis in the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, INV. 10073.

Previous X-ray analysis reveals the contents of the wood body as containing the mummified remains of a bird, presumably an ibis with its head bent back on its body. This analysis clearly reveals the tang of the bronze neck sunk deep into the wooden body. Similarly, the legs are shown to join and form a v-shape inside the body, then extend into a tang.

The ibis was considered to be the living manifestation of the god Thoth. During the Late Period the animal cult of the ibis became widespread in Egypt, and models of ibises were found in temples, shrines and mummified ibis catacombs.

Saleroom notices

Please note, new x-rays of the ibis have been completed and are available from the Department. Please contact the Department for further details.

Additional information

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