Egyptian Turquoise Faience Amulet of Sekhmet
£ 975.00
A vibrant Egyptian amulet, made from vivid turquoise-glazed faience, depicting the lion-headed goddess Sekhmet. She is portrayed standing, with one leg striding forward in motion. She stands on an integrated rectangular plinth. Her arms hang at her sides. On her head she wears the royal wig, which has a triple plume between her feline ears, acting as a suspension loop. The facial features are typically feline, with a broad forehead and a flat, elongated snout.
Date: Circa 664-30 BC
Period: Late Period - Ptolemaic Period
Provenance: Ex 20th Century private collection, passed by descent.
Condition: Very fine, with vivid turquoise glaze still remaining. Large chip to the reverse on one arm.
Sekhmet was the fierce goddess of the Memphite area, forming a powerful trio with her husband, the creator-god Ptah, and their son, Nerfertum. Sekhmet was goddess of the sun and war: she symbolised the scorching heat of the sun, and brought plague and pestilence. She was seen as the fiercest of warriors, and was the protector of the pharaohs. It was said that the desert was caused by her breath alone, and she was rendered as a lion because this big cat was the bravest hunter known to the Egyptians.
To discover more about amulets in the Ancient Egyptian world, please visit our relevant post: Amulets in Ancient Egypt.
