Nice Sistrum - musical ritual instrument - very fine with goddess bastet, hathor and bes - Ancient Egypt, Late Period, 664 - 332 BC Solid Bronze 15cm height, 19 cm height with stand. - rare example of a children size - PROVENANCE: - Private collection, USA, 1960s. CONDITION: Good condition, see photos. Intact. DESCRIPTION: - The sistrum: a musical instrument of Ancient Egypt The sistrum was one of the most emblematic musical instruments of Ancient Egypt, especially in religious contexts. Similar in shape to a metal hoop with cross bars and small moving parts that produced a rhythmic sound when shaken, the sistrum was played in ceremonies dedicated to gods such as Hathor, Bastet and other divinities associated with fertility, music and protection. Initially made of perishable materials such as wood or reed, over time they began to be made of bronze, which allowed them to be better preserved until the present day. The bronze sistrums that have been found in temples and tombs are remarkable for their artistic workmanship and symbolic value. Some have inscriptions with invocations to gods and depict faces of Hathor on the top. Their sound was considered capable of warding off evil and attracting divine blessing. They were used mainly by priestesses and noblewomen in rituals, especially in celebrations related to rebirth, fertility and cosmic harmony. Today, bronze sistrums preserved in museums bear witness not only to ancient Egyptian music, but also to its deep connection between art, spirituality and feminine power. - Bastet: the cat goddess, music and the home Bastet, one of the most beloved goddesses of the Egyptian pantheon, was depicted as a cat-headed woman or simply as a cat. In her earliest aspects, she was a lion goddess associated with war, but over time she evolved into a more peaceful figure, protector of the home, music, motherhood and joy. Her image in the form of a cat symbolised elegance, protection and domesticity. Cats were sacred animals and many families bred them as living incarnations of the goddess. The sistrum was closely associated with the cult of Bastet and was used in processions and celebrations in her honour, where women chanted, danced and waved sistrums to invoke her protection. This instrument was considered a sacred tool that helped to maintain order, ward off evil spirits and connect with the divine through music. Bronze images of Bastet, often accompanied by sistrum necklaces, have been found in domestic contexts, as offerings or protective amulets. Bastet thus united the feminine, the musical and the everyday in a single figure, making her the patroness of the well-being of the household and of harmony between the human and the divine. - Hathor and Bes: divinities of the home, music and women Hathor, goddess of love, music, dance and motherhood, and Bes, a dwarf god protector of the home and childhood, were essential figures in everyday life in Ancient Egypt, especially for women. Both were strongly linked to the use of the sistrum, a sacred instrument that accompanied rituals dedicated to them. Hathor was known as “the Lady of the Sistrum”, and was often depicted with this instrument in her hand, as its sound evoked joy, fertility and cosmic harmony. Bes, although grotesque in appearance, was a kind and protective figure. His presence was believed to ward off evil spirits, especially during childbirth and in children's rooms. On some amulets and reliefs, she is depicted dancing or playing musical instruments, including the sistrum, to encourage and protect families. Both Hathor and Bes were honoured in domestic and Templar contexts. The sistrum, in their hands, was transformed into a magical tool, capable of summoning divine joy and warding off chaos. Together they represented maternal protection, sacred sensuality and music as a link between the human and the divine, reinforcing the importance of women and the home in Egyptian spirituality.