Lot 4A
Egypt, Late Dynastic Period, 26th to 31st Dynasty, ca. 664 to 332 BCE. A gorgeous pendant, hand-carved from cobalt-blue lapis lazuli, depicting a wedjat (wadjet or Eye of Horus), an ancient and powerful hieroglyphic symbol of protection. The pendant shows a large singular eye with an extended, bar-shaped corner, a raised pupil, a curling lower lash, and a segmented top border, all beneath a pierced suspension loop. The incised ocular details are displayed on both sides of the amulet, and old earthen material imbues a faint orange hue around some recessed areas. Size: 1.875" W x 1.625" H (4.8 cm x 4.1 cm).
According to the AMA Journal of Ethics, "The well-known symbol Rx may even be derived from Egyptian hieroglyphics. According to the legend, Horus, the god of sky and of light and keeper of secret wisdom, sustained a terrible eye injury while seeking to avenge the murder of his father. Later, the eye was magically healed. The eye of Horus thus became a symbol of health, now recognized as Rx, and its placement by physicians on written prescriptions represents an appeal for the success of the recommended remedy." (https://journalofethics.ama-assn.org/article/rx-physician-prescribing-practices/2006-06)
For a stylistically-similar example made just prior to the beginning of the Late Dynastic Period, please see the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, accession number 24.634: https://www.mfa.org/collections/object/eye-of-horus-wedjat-amulet-145692
Provenance: ex-private Denver, Colorado, USA collection; ex-private Arizona, USA Gallery; ex-Arte Primitivo Gallery, New York, New York, USA
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#141240
- Condition: Very minor nicks around peripheries and some interior details, and softening to some finer details, otherwise intact and excellent. Light earthen deposits throughout.
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