Lot 538
Fine Egyptian Greywacke Horus Cippus | Magic Spells, Inscribed
Fine Egyptian Greywacke Horus Cippus | Magic Spells, Inscribed
Starting Bid: $7,500
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Egypt, late period, ca. 700 - 500 BCE. A carved greywacke cippus votive stela, ancient Egypt, Late Period to Ptolemaic period, circa 664–30 BCE. The front face depicts the child god Horus-sa-Iset standing frontally and nude atop a prostrate crocodile rendered with detailed scale decoration. Two large cobras with spread hoods flank the figure at shoulder height; feline and oryx figures crowd the lower register at his sides. The reverse carries eight horizontal registers of finely incised hieroglyphic magical spells; further vertical registers of inscription run along the sides and base. The stone is deep blue-green greywacke — the most prestigious material of Late Period Egyptian small sculpture, selected for the finest divine images of the Saite and Ptolemaic periods. An old block base is included.
The cippus of Horus was among the most potent magical instruments of the Late Period Egyptian religious world. Water poured over its inscribed surfaces absorbed the healing power of the spells and Horus's triumphant image, becoming a curative liquid administered against snakebite, scorpion sting, and other dangerous afflictions. The reverse text belongs to the well-documented corpus of Horus cippus spells — closely related to the great Metternich Stela (Metropolitan Museum of Art) — combining mythological narrative, divine invocation, and practical healing formulae into a single integrated magical program. Full epigraphic transliteration pending specialist consultation. A rare, fine, and ritually potent example of Late Period Egyptian magical art. Size: 3”H x 1.88”W (7.6 x 4.8cm).
Provenance: Connecticut collection. Ex. J. Claessen, Bladel, Holland, a collection formed in the 1950’s - 1970’s.
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Item #
71830
- Condition: Some ancient loss along the top edge, otherwise intact.
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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 |