63 - Egyptian Bronze Votive Apis Bull Statue. Ptolemaic Period, 2nd-1st century B.C. Small votive statuette of a bull advancing with a sun disc and uraeus between the horns, on a rectangular plinth; incised caparison and two falcons with outstretched wings on its back; phallus and testicles present; mounted on a custom-made stand. Cf. Roeder, G., gyptische Bronzefiguren II, Berlin, 1956, pl. 48b, for a similarly engraved bronze. 90 grams total, 72 mm high including stand (2 7/8 in.). (For this specific lot, 5% import VAT is applicable on the hammer price.)

Egyptian Bronze Votive Apis Bull Statue. Ptolemaic Period, 2nd-1st century B.C. Small votive statuette of a bull advancing with a sun disc and uraeus between the horns, on a rectangular plinth; incised caparison and two falcons with outstretched wings on its back; phallus and testicles present; mounted on a custom-made stand. Cf. Roeder, G., gyptische Bronzefiguren II, Berlin, 1956, pl. 48b, for a similarly engraved bronze. 90 grams total, 72 mm high including stand (2 7/8 in.). (For this specific lot, 5% import VAT is applicable on the hammer price.) Ex Zurich art market, 1980s. Private collection Brigitte Leu, Zurich, between 1980 and 2003. In Ancient Egypt, bull deities embodied aspects of fertility or the creative power of certain gods, such as Ra. Originally, the Apis bull was a fertility god in his own right, but he could also merge syncretically with other deities. For example, the creator god Ptah of Memphis found his living repetition in the Apis bull. When an Apis bull died, it was given a lavish funeral and interred in a magnificent hard-stone sarcophagus within the dedicated catacombs at Saqqara known as the Serapeum. TimeLine Auctions follows a rigorous vetting process to ensure the authenticity and legality of all items, reinforcing our commitment to integrity and responsible trading. Each antiquity, antique, and coin lot undergoes thorough examination by a vetting committee of at least ten external specialists, professional trade association members, scientists, and archaeologists. See our website for more information.