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YOU ARE HERE:>>Mystery artifacts>>What is this? Section 3
This not very attractive small green faience figure apears to be holding tools as do most shabtis.
It's possible that the bottom half, the legs, belong to a diferrent piece but looking at the thing closely it's not possible to be certain about that.
43mm.
Is it a shabti?
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From Dik.
Psusennes II ???
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From Tim
An ugly brute indeed! And not a shabti on the grounds that it has one foot forward, indicating that the subject is either alive or a god. Shabtis are always feet together (although I'll probably regret saying 'always'... :) and very interesting with the two hoes. The face is familiar but I can't quite place it at the moment. As a general (but not absolute) rule, 'shabtis don't have necks', in particular when viewed from front or back,since the wig usually falls vertically on to the shoulders. I think your suggestion that it is a pastiche is likely correct. Could it even be possible that head, torso and legs come from separate pieces?!
From Julian
TIP Shabtis with legs (standing & walking postures) --
pobably all from Lower or middle-Egypt.
1. Faience overseer figure of PrinceTakeloth (19.2cm):
- with feet joined together.
- Dynasty XXII, one of 4 overseer figures from Memphis: Badawi, cemetery of Mit-Rahineh, tomb of prince Shoshenq, excavated in 1942;
- in Cairo: Cairo Museum, JE 86816;
-published: ''Gold of the pharaohs' catalogue no.13, p.40, commentary by Lillian Aubert.
2. Faience unidentified overseer figure (11.8cm):
- with striding feet.
- Dynasty XXIII-XXV, one of 11figures (the only overseer figure; the workers are mummiform) from Tarkhan (cemetery known as Kafr Ammar) excavated by Wainwright in early 20th. Century;
- in Rochdale: Rochdale arts & heritage service, 258.17.1;
- published: G Janes 'the Shabti collections 3: Rochdale arts & heritage service' catalogue no.43, commentary by Lillian Aubert.
3. Faience worker figure of Se-Hor-neb (10.2cm):
- with feet joined together.
- TIP date, Dynasty XXII-XXIII(?), find provenance unknown;
- private collection, unpublished (acquired UK market prior to 2010, formerly in a US collection bought in Egypt in 1930s).
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4. Unidentified faience overseer figure (9.7cm):
- with feet joined together.
- TIP date, Dynasty XXII-XXIII(?), find provenance unknown;
- private collection, unpublished (formerly in a Swedish private collection formed in 1950s).
5. Unidentified faience overseer figure (8.2cm):
- with feet joined together.
- TIP date, Dynasty XXII-XXIII(?), find provenance unknown: 2 mummiform worker figures also from this tomb group;
- private collection, unpublished (acquired UK market prior to 2000).
6. Unidentified faience overseer figure (4.8cm):
- With feet joined : distinct indentation shown between legs;
- TIP date, Dynasty XXII(?), excavation provenance unknown;
- Private collection, unpublished (acquired UK market prior to 2000;)
- several examples in Cambridge (Fitzwilliam Museum E.GA 2462b, ex Gayer-Anderson collection) and other examples offered for sale at Christie's.
7. Unidentified pottery overseer figure (8.5cm) :
- with striding feet.
- TIP date, Dynasty XXI-XXII(?),reported to be from Abydos: one of 2 overseer figures and 2 mummiform worker figures from this tomb group;
- private collection, unpublished (acquired in Egypt in 1977).
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From Alain
20th January 2009
Opinions vary but according to many this piece is not genuine.
This is said to be a modern repro, forgery, rendering, etc.... Fine by me!
The head is 23cm high, weighting 5kg approx and stands alone
My points would be:
1- Nemes: must be typical of a deity, goddess or queen? Any name or period?
2- Modern sculpture: any chance to restrict this 'modern' notion to a more specific period by identifying the artist, faker, workshop they final touch or signature (or other mean)?
3- Material: if pics not good enough to figure out the material, would the density help??
4- Prolonged immersion: this head is said to be found underwater (tropical belt). Would it be in such preserved condition, say, after 80 to 100 years immersion only ? I, personaly, like the modern wreckage scenario...
Thanks!
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I have put this in the "What is this?" section rather than the "Is this genuine?" section as I dont think it is ancient.
I also have a nice example of this type of "After The Egyptian style ".
(Probably would sell on ebay as genuine!)
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From Aziz
21st Jan 09
Both the heads are ovbviously not genuine ancient pieces as you say, and the second one is much more attractive.
I don't beleive that there is any way to tell how old the head in question is but such things have been made in Egypt for a couple of hundred years.
Aziz
From James
22nd Jan 09
Hi,
I cannot see any evidence of long sea-water immersion.
None of the typical accretions.
I would say it's defintely a modern piece.
Well, at least both of these are prettier than these monstrosities being offered on eBay as genuine!
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Alain replies
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