Lot 5
Ancient Art. Egypt, New Kingdom, 18th Dynasty, ca. 1391 to 1351 BCE. A red terracotta cone-shaped clay tablet made from fired Nile mud, of a form very commonly found in Thebes, with relief hieroglyphs that are translated. This one reads, "Mother of Ahmose, Favorite of Amenhotep III." Ahmose was the founder of the 18th Dynasty, a member of the Theban royal house, and a pharaoh; Amenhotep III was the 9th pharaoh of the 18th Dynasty, one of the most influential pharaohs. Ahmose's mother was Tetisheri, matriarch of the dynasty, memorialized at Thebes in a magnificent tomb. Her own history is interesting, as she came from a non-royal birth to ascend to the role of Great Royal Wife. Size: 3.25" W x 4.7" H (8.3 cm x 11.9 cm)
Clay 'nails' like this are also referred to as dedication pegs or foundation pegs; they were inscribed, baked, and stuck into walls made of mud-brick to mark ownership either by a god or a ruler. These dedications sometimes include stories or boasts about the rulers they describe, and are some of our earliest sources of written royal history. In Egypt (they were also used in the ancient Near East), these objects most likely decorated the facades of tombs, but only two of them have ever been found in situ. Instead, they are often found in groups together inside of tombs, including cones not from the tomb where they were found; it seems that people have been picking up and moving these highly portable objects since they were first made!
Drawing of inscription and translation published in Norman de Garis Davies and M.F. Laming Macadam, A Corpus of Inscribed Egyptian Funerary Cones I (Oxford 1957). Inscription #300.
Provenance: private Florida, USA collection
All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.
#126106
- Condition: End of core is a fragment. Encrustation on surface. Hieroglyphs are in excellent condition and very easy to read.
Accepted Forms of Payment:
Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Shipping
Auction House will ship, at Buyer's expense
Artemis Fine Arts
You agree to pay a buyer's premium of up to 24.5% and any applicable taxes and shipping.
View full terms and conditions
| From: | To: | Increments: |
|---|---|---|
| $0 | $299 | $25 |
| $300 | $999 | $50 |
| $1,000 | $1,999 | $100 |
| $2,000 | $4,999 | $250 |
| $5,000 | $9,999 | $500 |
| $10,000 | $19,999 | $1,000 |
| $20,000 | $49,999 | $2,000 |
| $50,000 | $99,999 | $5,000 |
| $100,000 | $199,999 | $10,000 |
| $200,000 + | $25,000 |