Beschreibung:

A large Egyptian deep blue glazed faience amulet of Mut Third Intermediate Period, 22nd Dynasty, 946-735 B.C. The goddess, with a lion's face and mane, depicted with her left leg slightly advanced, wearing a long close-fitting sheath dress revealing the pronounced navel, the Double Crown of Upper and Lower Egypt rests between the upright ears, the suspension loop behind, 10.6cm highFootnotesProvenance: Frederick George Hilton Price (1842–1909) Collection . Catalogue of the Important and Extensive Collection of Egyptian Antiquities, the Property of the late F.G. Hilton–Price, Esq., Sotheby, Wilkinson & Hodge, London, 12-21 July 1911, Lot 473, illustrated Plate XVII. Henry Oppenheimer (1859–1932) Collection. The Collection of Egyptian, Greek and Roman Antiquities, Cameos and Intaglios, formed by the late Henry Oppenheimer, Esq., F.S.A., Christie's, London, 22–23 July 1936, lot 47. Leu Collection, Switzerland, 1960s. With Charles Ede Ltd, London. Acquired from the above on the 21 May 2003. Published: H. Hall and E. Newberry (eds.), Catalogue of an Exhibition of Ancient Egyptian Art, Burlington Fine Arts Club, London, 1922, p.66, no.7, pl.XVIII. C.A.R. Andrews and J. van Dijk (eds), Objects for Eternity: Egyptian Antiquities from the W. Arnold Meijer Collection, Mainz, 2006, pp.232–233, no.3.48. This is an exceptionally impressive amuletic example of the goddess Mut, who is more usually depicted in human form. She sometimes appears with the head of a lion complete with mane, which refers to her more aggressive aspects whereby she is linked with Sekhmet 'she who is powerful'. The goddess held the title 'the Great One, Mistress of Isheru'. This refers both to the temple of Mut in Karnak and to the sacred lake nearby where feline goddesses were worshipped in an attempt to calm their aggressive nature. For another representation of Mut with leonine features see S. Schoske and D. Wildung, Gott und Götter im Alten Ägypten, Berlin, 1992, no.100.