Egypt, Late Dynastic to Ptolemaic Period, ca. 664 to 30 BCE. A wonderful amulet, skillfully hand-carved from steatite to display the relief of 3 standing deities: Ptah, the creator god and patron of craftsmen and architects, flanked by a pair of goddesses with discs above their heads. Displaying a bald head with large ears, Ptah wears a divine beard and holds his traditional scepter that combines the Was, Ankh, and Djed before him. The goddess to his left steps forward with hands to her sides as she displays the head of a feline, suggesting that she may be Sekhmet, the warrior goddess of healing who was often depicted as a lioness. The remaining goddess, who also rests her arms at her sides, may be the sky goddess Nut due to the sun disc above her head. To Nut's right, one can see the remains of part of the vulture headdress of Isis, the daughter of Nut. A suspension loop above Nut's left shoulder allows this lovely relief to be suspended as a pendant. Size: 1.5" W x 2.1" H (3.8 cm x 5.3 cm)

Provenance: East Coast collection, New York Gallery, New York City, New York, USA, acquired before 2010

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#135575

Losses to left side and peripheries. Expected nicks, abrasions, and light softening of detail, commensurate with age. Otherwise, excellent with nice earthen deposits in recessed areas.