Lot 1
Ancient Egypt, Late Dynastic to Ptolemaic Period, ca. 664 to 30 BCE. A superb and quite sizable steatite amulet of Sekhmet, the lioness-headed goddess of the sun, destruction, war, and healing, seated upon a throne with an openwork figure of Bes standing on either side. Enveloped in a rich blue glaze symbolic of the Nile, the feline-faced deity sits with a rigid posture, wears a form-fitting, ankle-length gown, and holds the was scepter bent across her lap. Her angular visage is crowned by a pair of alert, pricked ears, as well as a tripartite wig and a large, ridged suspension loop. Size: 2.2" L x 0.9" W x 4.1" H (5.6 cm x 2.3 cm x 10.4 cm)
Lion-headed goddesses often represent various deities, including Sekhmet, Mut, Tefnut, Bastet, and Wadjet. During the Late Period, depictions of lion-headed goddesses, whether standing or seated on a throne, are typically associated with Sekhmet. In the Middle Kingdom, Sekhmet was renowned for her ferocity and warlike nature, whereas Bastet symbolized gentleness and tranquility. Known as "the sweet gaze of Re," Bastet was linked to fertility, sexuality, and the protection of pregnant women and children. Sekhmet, whose name translates to "She Who is Powerful," was connected to plagues and destruction. As a war goddess, she embodied the fiery strength of pharaohs in battle.
In the New Kingdom, the Theban cult's growing influence led priests to incorporate additional deities into the divine triad. During Amenhotep III's reign, hundreds of Sekhmet statues were erected near Muts temple at Karnak and within the funerary complex of western Thebes.
One myth highlights a conflict between Sekhmet and her father, Re. When Re ruled Egypt, his Udjat eye became enraged and fled to Nubia, transforming into a destructive lioness. As Sekhmet, the "Distant One," she unleashed chaos, slaughtering people in the desert and reveling in the bloodshed. To halt her rampage, Re enlisted Shu and Thoth. Disguised as monkeys, they poured 7,000 jugs of beer tinted with red dye into the Nile near Elephantine.
Provenance: ex-Royal Athena Galleries, New York City, New York, USA; ex-Bonham's London, 2006, lot 24; ex-French collection, acquired in the 1950s - 1960s, acquired
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#190836
- Condition: Chipping to base, proper left ear, and snout, as well as some age-expected nicks and abrasions to surface, as shown. Otherwise, intact and excellent with impressive remaining detail and glaze. Rich earthen deposits throughout.
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