ITEM: Statuette of Osiris MATERIAL: Bronze CULTURE: Egyptian PERIOD: Late Period, 664 - 332 B.C DIMENSIONS: 76 mm x 27 mm (without stand) CONDITION: Good condition PROVENANCE: Ex French private collection, Paris, acquired between 1950 - 1960 Comes with Certificate of Authenticity and Export license. If you bid outside the European Union and win the item, we will have to apply for an export licence for your country and shipping will take 3 to 5 weeks. Statues of Osiris, the ancient Egyptian god of the afterlife, fertility, and resurrection, are among the most recognizable artifacts of the Nile Valley. Typically depicted in a mummiform pose, the god is shown with his legs and body tightly wrapped in bandages, signifying his role as the first being to be mummified and brought back to life. He is traditionally shown holding the crook (heka) and the flail (nekhakha), symbols of divine kingship and authority. On his head, he wears the Atef crown—a white tall crown flanked by two ostrich feathers—which often features a solar disk or a sacred cobra (uraeus) at the front to signify his power over both the living and the dead. The craftsmanship of these statues varied significantly depending on their purpose and the wealth of the donor. During the Late Period (c. 664–332 BCE), hollow-cast bronze statuettes became immensely popular as "ex-voto" offerings, which pilgrims would dedicate at sacred sites like Abydos to secure the god's favor. These bronzes often featured intricate details, such as braided false beards and inlaid eyes made of glass or semi-precious stones. In more elite funerary contexts, larger statues were carved from wood or stone, sometimes gilded with gold leaf or painted with green or black pigment. The use of green pigment was especially symbolic, representing the fertile silt of the Nile and the promise of new life springing from the earth. Beyond their aesthetic value, Osiris statues served a vital functional role in the journey to the afterlife. They were frequently placed in tombs to act as a physical anchor for the deceased's soul, identifying the dead person with Osiris himself to ensure their successful resurrection. In some periods, small "Osiris beds"—wooden frames shaped like the god and filled with soil and germinating grain—were placed in the tomb to literally demonstrate life emerging from death. Whether cast in bronze for a temple sanctuary or carved in wood for a burial chamber, these statues were powerful icons of hope, representing the ancient Egyptian belief that death was not an end, but a transition into an eternal, divine kingdom.