Stunning Egyptian Gold and Lapis Amulet of Bastet

£ 7,000.00

An extremely fine Ancient Egyptian gold amulet pendant of the goddess Bastet in the form of a sitting cat with her tail resting on the right side of her body. This stunning pendant is fully suitable for modern wear; it has an intact suspension loop to the rear. The special feature of this amulet is that the shoulders, flanks and haunches have inlaid pieces of polished lapis lazuli. Weight: 6.48 g.

 

Date: Circa 332-30 BC
Period: Ptolemaic Period
Provenance: Property of a London gentleman; acquired on the French art market in the early 20th century.
Condition: Very fine, one small piece of lapis lazuli missing from the neck.

SOLD

Product Code: ES-25
Category: Tag:

The goddess Bastet was considered to be the daughter of Ra, the sun god, and was originally shown with the features of a lion up until about 1000 BC when she started being portrayed as a cat or human with a cat head. The maternal, protective and hunting characteristics of the cat were the most obvious in Bastet and she is seen as a protector of pregnant women and young children. The Ancient Egyptians wore amulets alongside other pieces of jewellery. Amulets were decorative, but also served a practical purpose, being considered to bestow power and protection upon the wearer. Many amulets have been found inside the wrappings of mummies, as they were used to prepare the deceased for the afterlife.

To discover more about amulets in the Ancient Egyptian world, please visit our relevant post: Amulets in Ancient Egypt.

Dimensions H 2.4 cm
Metal

Gold

Semi-Precious Stone

Lapis Lazuli

Region

North Africa

Egyptian Mythology

Bastet