Ancient Egypt, Late Period to Ptolemaic, 712 to 30 BCE. A heavy cast-bronze figure of an oxyrhynchus fish wearing on its back a crown with horns, disc, and uraeus. The sides were incised with fine line decorations. Fish were sacred to the goddesses Hathor, Isis, and Mut, who gave them this distinctive headgear. Behind the headdress is a loop for suspension. The fish is a medjed, a species of elephant fish with a distinctive downturned snout. The figure is cast onto a long, flat base to allow it to stand. Interestingly, one can see this was laid directly on the mummy linens which after 2000 years left a lasting impression. Size: 4.875" L x 0.75" W x 2.875" H (12.4 cm x 1.9 cm x 7.3 cm); 3.375" H (8.6 cm) on included custom stand.

The ancient Egyptians worshipped this fish at the town of Medjed, which, after Alexander the Great's conquest, was renamed to be "Oxyrhynchus" in Greek. The fish played a role in one of the most important stories in Egyptian mythology, attesting to the rebirth and immortality of the god Osiris. Although there are many forms of the myth, the general outline of the story is this: Osiris and his queen Isis ruled Egypt. Osiris's brother, Set, had him murdered, but Isis found his remains. She raised him from the dead using the sacred mysteries of mummification and he impregnated her; then he died again, and she hid his body in the desert and gave birth to his son, Horus. Set, enraged, found the remains of Osiris and tore his body into pieces that he scattered throughout the land. Isis gathered all of these pieces up - except the penis, which had been eaten by the medjed. Many towns in Egypt claimed to be places where body parts of Osiris were found - towns could profit from pilgrims and worshippers - and Medjed was no exception. This figure, made of relatively expensive bronze, probably functioned as a ritual item held by a temple, or may have been a votive ornament purchased by a wealthy pilgrim or worshipper.

Provenance: private East Coast, USA collection; ex-Richard Wagner collection, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, USA, acquired in the 1960s

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#139536

Surface wear and abrasions commensurate with age, tips of horns and upper tail fin missing, minor nicks along edges of the sled and body, and fading to some finer features. Nice earthen deposits as well as green and russet patina throughout with scattered areas of azurite patina. Light loosening to metal prongs on stand.