figure-fitting
- Description
-
Fragment of cast fitting in copper alloy; in the shape of flail Nekhekh, likely for a figure of Osiris; curved with an irregular shape at one end, with equal notches cut in one side, inlaid with coloured paste, yellow and red in colour; metal corroded and glass inlays quite damaged.
- Dimensions
-
Height: 7.30 centimetres
-
Thickness: 0.70 centimetres
- Curator's comments
-
Object owned and held by City Art Gallery and Museum, Bristol. This record is included in the British Museum database as part of the Museum’s Naukratis Project, a research collaboration that aims to virtually re-unite finds from the ancient port city of Naukratis, now distributed over 80 museums worldwide.
-
This fitting can be associated to the sceptre Heka, kept in Bristol, City Art Gallery & Museum H2205.11. It shows similar manufacture characteristics. The flail Nekhekh and the sceptre Heka are both insignia of Osiris.
Both belong likely to a figure of Osiris since Osiris bronzes were common in Naukratis (Masson forthcoming b). The Osirian cult is important in the saite nome, and particularly in Sais itself as stressed by K. Weiss (Weiss 2012, 445), but also on a more local scale (Masson 2015).
Masson, A. 2015, ‘Cult and Trade. A reflexion on Egyptian metal offerings from Naukratis’, in D. Robinson and F. Goddio (eds), Thonis Heracleion in Context, Oxford Centre for Maritime Archaeology Monograph 8, Oxford, 71-88.
Masson, A. forthcoming b, ‘Naukratis: Egyptian offerings in context’, in M. Bergeron and A. Masson (eds), Naukratis in Context II: Cults, Sanctuaries and Offerings. Proceedings of the Second Naukratis Project Workshop held at the British Museum, 22nd – 23rd June 2013.
Weiss, K. 2012, Ägyptische Tier- und Götterbronzen aus Unterägypten : Untersuchungen zu Typus, Ikonographie und Funktion sowie der Bedeutung innerhalb der Kulturkontakte zu Griechenland, Ägypten und Altes Testament 81.
- Location
- Not on display
- Condition
- Rather poor
- Department
- External
- Additional IDs
-
Miscellaneous number: H2205.12 (Accession Number)