古埃及，晚期 绿釉法恩斯陶瓷 荷鲁斯护符：化身为鹰，佩戴着上下埃及双冠

一件古埃及绿釉青瓷护符，呈哈斯（Horus）化身为隼的形态。此鸟被以风格化方式处理， depicted standing on a rectangular base, with his taloned feet close together and his wings in a resting position, held close to the body. His straight legs lead up to his chest, his tail feathers finely modelled. Horus’s rounded eyes face forward, set on either side of his beak. The falcon wears the Crown of Upper and Lower Egypt, surmounting his head. There is a suspension loop to the back of the falcon. Earthly encrustations and signs of wear as consistent with age, such as pitting, chipping, and scratches.

The falcon had been a sacred animal for a number of cults, such as those of the god Montu and the god Ra. Most prominently, its predatory character and strength of its flight made this bird a zoomorphic representation of the deity associated with the living pharaoh, Horus. With his parents, Osiris and Isis, Horus formed one of the most important divine triad closely connected to the royal cult. There were falcon cults all across Egypt, with the most spectacular discovered at Saqqara, where many thousands of birds were mummified and buried in an extensive complex of animal necropolises.

Measurements: (circa) H 2.6cm x L 2cm x W 0.7cm

Provenance: Early 20th Century UK Collection