23 - A SUPERB LIMESTONE RELIEF OF A BEE, ROYAL SYMBOL OF LOWER EGYPT, LATE DYNASTIC PERIOD, 25TH–31ST DYNASTY, CIRCA 715-332 BC

A SUPERB LIMESTONE RELIEF OF A BEE, ROYAL SYMBOL OF LOWER EGYPT, LATE DYNASTIC PERIOD, 25TH–31ST DYNASTY, CIRCA 715-332 BC Published: Collector's Menagerie. Animal sculpture from the ancient world, Rupert Wace Ancient Art, London, 2010, no. 14. Egypt. Finely carved in sunken relief with a large bee shown in profile, its anatomy rendered with remarkable precision and decorative refinement. The insect is depicted with a long curved body articulated by delicately incised transverse markings, slender legs, long antennae, and two prominently raised wings, their membranes filled with closely spaced parallel lines. Particularly striking is the contrast between the deeply cut outlines and the exceptionally fine linear detailing of the wings and segmented abdomen, lending the diminutive creature an unusually vivid and monumental presence. The abdomen terminates in a prominently rendered, sharply pointed sting, an unusually precise detail. The limestone is of a warm, creamy-beige tone. Expert’s note The bee was one of the most important royal symbols of ancient Egypt. As the hieroglyph bity, it represented Lower Egypt and formed part of the ancient royal title nswt-bity, conventionally translated as “He of the Sedge and the Bee” or “King of Upper and Lower Egypt.” Paired with the sedge, emblematic of Upper Egypt, the bee thus proclaimed the pharaoh’s sovereignty over the unified Two Lands. Beyond its royal significance, the bee was intimately connected with one of Egypt’s most valued natural products. Honey was the principal sweetener alongside dates, but was also employed in medicine, particularly in the treatment of wounds, and in religious and ritual contexts. Beeswax likewise had numerous practical uses. Beekeeping was practiced in Egypt from at least the Early Dynastic Period, making the bee simultaneously a familiar creature of everyday life and a powerful emblem of kingship. Provenance: Private collection, Switzerland, acquired circa 1960, and thence by descent. Rupert Wace Ancient Art, London, United Kingdom, 21 November 2007. A noted collector from France, acquired from the above. Rupert Wace (b. 1955) has been a leading figure in the world of Antiquities for over forty years. A collector at heart and dealer by profession, Wace's expertise ranges from ancient Egypt and the Classical World to the Near East. His clients include international collectors and many of the world's leading museums, including the British Museum, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, among others. He is a longstanding member of The Antiquities Dealer's Association (ADA) and currently sits on the board of the International Association of Dealers in Ancient Art (IADAA). Condition: Good condition with expected wear, age cracks, signs of weathering and erosion, traces of prolonged burial, obvious losses, remnants of ancient pigment. Weight: 238 g (incl. mount) Dimensions: Length 13.4 cm With a modern mount for hanging. (2) Literature comparison: Compare a closely related plaque inscribed with royal titles, dated third intermediate period, mid-8 th century BC, 26.5 cm tall, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, object number 11.150.31. Auction result comparison: Type: Related Auction: Christie’s London, 29 October 2003, lot 212 Price: GBP 14,100 or approx. EUR 30,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: An Egyptian painted limestone hieroglyphic relief fragment, late Dynasty XXV/early dynasty XXVI, 7th century B.C. Expert remark: Compare the hieroglyphic subject, sunken relief, and material. Note the size (28.5 x 18.3 cm). Auction Result Comparison: Type: Related Auction: Christie’s London, 1 July 2026, lot 45 Price: GBP 76,200 or approx. EUR 88,900 converted at the time of sale Description: An Egyptian limestone relief, Late Period, 30th Dynasty to Ptolemaic Period, 380–30 BC, 77.5 cm wide Expert remark: Compare the related Egyptian limestone relief, similarly finely carved in sunken relief and dating to the Late Dynastic/Ptolemaic period. The considerably larger Christie’s example depicts the pharaoh presenting Ma’at to Thoth and, whereas the present, much smaller fragment is distinguished by its remarkably detailed depiction of the royal bee, one of the principal emblems of Egyptian kingship.