63 - A ‘TWO FINGERS’ LIMESTONE AMULET, LATE PERIOD

A ‘TWO FINGERS’ LIMESTONE AMULET, LATE PERIOD Egypt, 664-332 BC. Finely modeled in the round, in the form of the elongated and flattened index and middle fingers of a right hand, with the nails subtly incised. The finely polished, opaque stone is of a homogeneous dark tone with faint brown nuances. Provenance: Collection of John Hunt, Preston, United Kingdom, thence by descent. John Hunt was a respected jeweler and silversmith who served as Mayor of Preston in 1926 and played a prominent role in the civic life of the town. In 1927, he hosted King Fuad I of Egypt during the royal visit to Horrockses Cotton Mills. In recognition of this hospitality, Hunt was presented with a number of Egyptian artefacts, including the present piece. Condition: Old repairs to the tips of the fingers. Otherwise, very good condition with expected wear, traces of weathering and erosion, and minor nibbling. Weight: 25.2 g Dimensions: Length 9.9 cm Two finger amulets, always depicting the index and middle fingers, were placed on mummies near the incision from where the internal organs were removed during embalming. Known examples date to the Late Period and are always made from dark stone such as basalt, steatite, or obsidian. According to Carol Andrews, the location [of the amulets] on the torso near the embalming incision has led to the suggestion that it represents the two fingers of the embalmer. It would thus have been intended to reconfirm the embalming process or perhaps give added protection to the most vulnerable part of the mummy. See Carol Andrews, Amulets of Ancient Egypt, 1994, p. 85. Literature comparison: Compare a closely related Egyptian hematite two-finger amulet, dated Late Period, 9.9 cm long, in the Art Institute of Chicago, reference number 1894.680. Compare a closely related Egyptian obsidian two-finger amulet, dated Late Period, 7.7 cm long, in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, accession number 57.521. Compare a closely related Egyptian gabbro-peridotite two-finger amulet, dated Late Period, 8.8 cm long, in the Michael C. Carlos Museum, Atlanta, object number 2018.010.1008. Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Christie’s New York, 4 June 2015, lot 9 Price: USD 81,250 or approx. EUR 100,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: An Egyptian obsidian two finger amulet, Late Period, 664-332 BC Expert remark: Compare the closely related subject, modeling, and manner of carving. Note the similar color of the stone and the size (12.7 cm). Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Christie’s New York, 10 June 2010, lot 39 Price: USD 13,750 or approx. EUR 18,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: An Egyptian dark stone two-finger amulet, Late Period, Dynasty XXVI-XXX, circa 664-343 BC Expert remark: Compare the closely related subject, modeling, manner of carving, and size (10.8 cm). Note the similar color of the stone.