- Description
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Limestone ithyphallic figure of naked youth with full waist, probably Harpocrates (Horus). Seated with legs bent and elbows resting on knees. Something, probably a harp, rests on his phallus that extends forwards (broken and lost). The figure is on an oval plinth. Soft limestone, varying in color from 2.5Y 8.5/2 grey white to 7.5YR 8/8 pinkish white. Missing head and front part of object. Worn surfaces.
- Production date
- 5thC BC - 3rdC BC
- Dimensions
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Height: 4.50 centimetres
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Width: 4.40 centimetres
- Curator's comments
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Object owned and held by Egyptian Museum, Cairo. 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.
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Published with finds from 1980-1981 survey season at Naukratis (Coulson 1996, 139-145, pI. XVII-6). These ithyphallic figures squatting or seated upright, looking to the side and holding the phallus to their side are well represented at Naukratis (British Museum GR1965,0930.929; GR1965,0930.940; possibly GR1965,0930.933; Cambridge NA305; Oxford AN1886.465; Heidelberg ST53; Coulson 1996, pl.17.6 nos. 20 Cairo, Egyptian Museum), attributed to Naukratis (Cambridge E.110.1914). Parallel from Late Period Kom Firin (Spencer 2013, 277, F274), 30th Dynasty Saqqâra (Martin 1981, no. 1513; Petrie Museum UC60056), Memphis (Petrie Museum UC48354, UC483546) and unprovenanced (Petrie Museum UC35949, possibly UC60036; British Museum EA59082). Similar figures were also produced in terracotta at Naukratis. Like the similar ithyphallic figures, but with the phallus coiled around the neck (from Naukratis, or attributed to Naukratis: British Museum EA90337; see also GR1965,0930.944; GR2011,5011.16; GR2011,5011.14; GR2011,5011.13; Cambridge E.140.1914), these have Late Period parallels from Sais (Daressy 1901, 230-239; Egyptian Museum, Cairo JE 90245, exc. no.84; JE 90252 exc. no. 174; Late 6th to early 5th BC), Kom Firin (Spencer 2013, F343) and Early Ptolemaic Tell Basta (unpublished). Late Period (6th century BC) to early Ptolemaic (4th or 3rd century BC).
Coulson, W. D. E. 1996, The Finds, in Coulson, W. D. E. (ed.), Ancient Naukratis II. The Survey at Naukratis and Environs 1. The Survey at Naukratis, Oxford, 139-160.
Daressy, G. 1901. Rapport sur des fouilles à Sa el-Hagar, Annales du Service des Antiquités de l’Égypte 2, 230-239.
Martin, G. T. 1981. The sacred animal necropolis at North Saqqâra: the southern dependencies of the main temple complex. Egypt Exploration Society Excavation Memoirs 50, London.
Spencer, N. 2013. Kom Firin II. British Museum Research Publications. The British Museum, London.
- Location
- Not on display
- Department
- External
- Additional IDs
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Excavation/small finds number: 20 (Finds catalogue number)
