400 - Egyptian Sandstone Offering Table Fragment. The Peter Clayton Egyptian Collection (Lots 1-32 & 391-500)

Egyptian Sandstone Offering Table Fragment. The Peter Clayton Egyptian Collection (Lots 1-32 & 391-500) Late Period-Ptolemaic Period, 664-30 B.C. Fragment of a rectangular offering table with incised drainage channels forming a segmented surface, creating a spout at the top end and feeding channels around a central raised panel, bearing incised depictions of two circular loaves flanked by beer jugs; the underside dressed. 1.62 kg, 21.5 cm (8 1/2 in.). [No Reserve] Acquired in April 1963. From the private collection of Peter Clayton, FCILIP, Dip, Arch, FSA, FRNS, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, UK; formed since the late 1950s. Accompanied by an old handwritten identification card written by Peter Clayton. Offering tables shaped like the hieroglyphic sign for a mat with a loaf of bread, meaning offering, were common throughout much of dynastic history and were essential to the funerary cult. They were usually placed near the deceased's tomb, in an offering niche or chapel. If the cult ceased to function, the carved images of food and drink on the table served as magical substitutes, ensuring the continued sustenance and survival of the deceased's ka, or spirit. 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.