Lot 541
Egyptian Mummified Falcon | Linen & Bitumen | Wooden Sarcophagus
Egyptian Mummified Falcon | Linen & Bitumen | Wooden Sarcophagus
Current Bid: $4,000
(1 Bid)
Egypt, late Period to Ptolemaic, ca. 700 - 30 BCE. Falcon mummy, wrapped in multiple linen layers with a black bitumen painted surface. Falcon head wears the royal wig. Contained in a tapered wooden sarcophagus. The preparations carried out on the mummy thus took place almost according to the prescriptions relating to the mummification of human corpses, since the falcon was the sacred animal of the god Horus. The body of the mummified animal was first wrapped in linen strips and after the mummy. Then thus shaped into a form reminiscent of a human mummy it was wrapped in a linen shroud.
The Egyptians considered certain individual animals to be living manifestations of a god. As noted by the Metropolitan Museum of Art: "During the first millennium B.C., many multiples of animals associated with certain gods were specially raised in temple precincts as simultaneous avatars of that god and then mummified in large contingents and deposited in catacombs for eternal life."
The falcon, as the sacred animal of Horus, was among the most revered of these votive mummies. When mummified, it was prepared with the same care and ritual attention afforded to human remains, underscoring its divine significance in ancient Egyptian funerary practice. Falcon: 14.5”L (36.8cm), Box: 16.25”L x 7.25”W x 7.5”H (41.3 x 18.4 x 19.1cm).
Provenance: NYC. collection. Ex. Edward H. Merrin Gallery, NYC. Acquired 1980’s-’90’s.
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Item #
71639
- Condition: Some very minor ancient loss on the heal, otherwise excellent condition. Having a few remaining traces of blue pigment. Normal minor imperfections to the box, missing lid.
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| From: | To: | Increments: |
|---|---|---|
| $0 | $749 | $25 |
| $750 | $1,499 | $50 |
| $1,500 | $2,999 | $100 |
| $3,000 | $7,499 | $250 |
| $7,500 | $14,999 | $500 |
| $15,000 + | $1,000 |