Egypt, Hellenistic Period, ca. 2nd to 1st century BCE. A mold-made figure of Harpocrates, the god of silence, secrets, and confidentiality; he was adopted by the Greeks from the child god Horus. In this figure, he stands in a sensuous pose, nude aside from his characteristic pointed hat; he is leaning against a column and standing on a plinth. Size: 3.2" W x 6.95" H (8.1 cm x 17.7 cm)

During the Ptolemaic period, Isis-Hathor, Serapis, and Harpocrates formed the Triad of Alexandria, and in 2011 the Egyptian office of archaeology announced that they had found the ruins of a Ptolemaic temple there containing many figures similar to this one. The British Museum exhibit on Naukratis shows the remains of terracotta molds for making models just like this one; they were made from a dark red-brown Nile silt in vast workshops. These figures were made for locals, but reflected the influence of Greek naturalistic styles in their depictions of the deities. They were bought by individuals and either kept in the home or given as offerings at temples.

Provenance: Ex-Hagar Collection, Ex-private NC collection acquired in the 1980's

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.

We ship worldwide to most countries and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.

#119286

Repaired around neck and around ankles. Some encrustation and wear to details but form is clear.