92
An Egyptian Limestone Relief Fragment
Estimate: $10,000-$15,000
Sold
$10,000
Live Auction
Antiquities & Ancient Art
Size
Width 10 3/4 inches
Description
An Egyptian Limestone Relief Fragment
Late Period, 26th-30th Dynasty, 664-343 B.C.
Width 10 3/4 inches
Property from the Collection of Sumner Schlesinger, California
Condition
Inspected under UV light and 10x loupe. Proper right fragment professionally restored (approximatly 1/3 of the whole). Small fragment restored at bottom rear of central figure. Tool marks visible on edges and back side. Some areas of red/orange patina. Chips, cracks, and abrasians present. Accompanied by wooden stand. Overall in fine and stable condition. See additonal images.
Provenance
Provenance: Joseph Halle Schaffner (1897-1972), Chicago and New York. Elmer "Pete" Schlesinger (1919-1982), Chicago; thence by descent.The partially preserved hieroglyphs on this relief include determinations typically used in writing the names of cities and towns. The circle with the "X" is the hieroglyph normally referenced as Gardiner Sign-List O 49, representing a settlement intersected by crossroads. It can be used to write the word niwt "town" or "city," in which case it is often accompanied by a semicircle "t" and a stroke. It's also used as a determinative for many toponyms. In this case it's preceded by a bird hieroglyph. It's difficult to be certain as to which bird, but it seems a likely possibility is what is referred to as the "tyw" bird (Gardiner G 4). This could be found in phrases such as nTrw niwtyw "local/municipal gods". For more on these writings, see Woerterbuch Vol. II 212-213, and Faulkner, Concise Dictionary of Middle Egyptian, p. 125.