Lot 121B
Egypt, Late Dynastic period, Dynasties 26 to 30, ca. 664 to 332 BCE. A radiant strand of Nile blue, this Egyptian faience necklace unites tubular beads with a figural amulet of Shu, the god of air and the divine force who held the cosmos apart. The necklace is composed of elongated faience beads in soft turquoise tones, their surfaces displaying gentle variations in glaze and age related wear typical of ancient Egyptian composition. The beads are arranged in a rhythmic sequence that emphasizes clean geometry and saturated color, hallmarks of Egyptian jewelry across millennia. At the center hangs a faience amulet of Shu, serving as both visual focus and protective emblem. Size of amulet: 0.8" W x 1.2" H (2 cm x 3 cm); of strand: 21.5" L (54.6 cm)
In the Heliopolitan creation myth, Shu is the son of the creator and sun god and embodies the principle of air. Together with his consort Tefnut, the principle of moisture, and with Geb (earth) and Nut (sky), he belongs to the first generation of deities who shaped the universe. Shu was responsible for separating Geb and Nut and securing the space of the cosmos - a role that made him a symbol of the life principle itself, the breath and open air that allow existence to continue.
Amulets of Shu became especially popular in the Late Period, and this example presents the god in his standardized iconography. He kneels on his right knee with the left drawn up, both arms raised to lift and support the sky. He wears a long wig and pleated kilt, his figure rendered with a sculptural clarity that remains legible at pendant scale.
The ancient beads and amulet are strung on a modern strand with a magnetic clasp, allowing the necklace to be worn comfortably today while preserving the character of its original components. Both ornament and theology in miniature, this piece offers a vivid link to Late Dynastic Egypt, where color, material, and divine imagery were fused into objects meant to protect, empower, and sustain the wearer.
Provenance: ex-Moore collection, Houston, Texas, USA; ex-Barakat Gallery, Los Angeles, California, USA, before 2005
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#201087
- Condition: Ancient beads and amulet strung on modern strand with a magnetic clasp to be wearable. Some weathering to beads and pendant with softening of detail, but, otherwise, intact and in excellent condition with vibrant pigments.
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