Lot 2D
Egypt, Ptolemaic to Roman periods, ca. 332 to 30 BCE. A large, hollow, mold-made votive sculpture, created from a rich, dark red clay, that features a chubby child seated atop a flower-like pedestal, with an oval halo behind him. The figure sits in high profile, wearing a large headdress/coiffure, with one hand raised to his mouth as if whispering, "Shhh." Harpocrates was the god of silence, secrets, and confidentiality. Size: 2.2" W x 5.15" H (5.6 cm x 13.1 cm); 5.7" H (14.5 cm) on included custom stand.
During the Ptolemaic period, Isis-Hathor, Serapis, and Harpocrates formed the Triad of Alexandria, and in 2011 the Egyptian office of archaeology announced that they had found the ruins of a Ptolemaic temple containing many similar figures. British Museum reports from Naukratis, located near Alexandria, show the remains of terracotta molds for making models just like this one; they were made from a dark red-brown Nile silt in vast workshops. These figures were made for locals, but reflected the influence of Greek naturalistic styles in their depictions of the deities. They were bought by individuals and are found overwhelmingly in domestic contexts.
Provenance: private Florida, USA collection
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#125444
- Condition: Small loss from bottom of statue. Light surface pitting. Nice remaining details and light encrustation on surface, especially in lower profile areas. A collection sticker is on the back.
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