Ancient Egypt, Late Dynastic Period, ca. 712 to 332 BCE. leaded bronze statuette of the feline goddess Bastet from the Late Dynastic Period. The goddess of fertility, festivity, and intoxication, Bastet is shown in traditional form with a cat head and a human body. She holds a sistrum or Egyptian rattle in her right hand, while her left carries an aegis - a symbol of protection in the form of a broad collar surmounted by a lion goddess' head wearing a sun disc, perhaps representing Bastet herself in her original fierce manifestation. Size: 1.4" W x 3.6" H (3.6 cm x 9.1 cm); 5" H (12.7 cm) on included custom stand.

The aegis is probably to be interpreted as the top of the counterpoise to a 'menyet' collar of loosely strung beads, another musical instrument connected with merrymaking; when shaken the beads would clack together.

Bastet was initially a lioness goddess associated with the solar god and channeled its destructive powers. However, "With the Middle Kingdom the cat appeared as Bastet's sacred animal and after the New Kingdom she was depicted with a cat's head. The goddess' character became more and more friendly. She was connected with the moon . . . [and] The 'raging' aspect of earlier times was transferred to the goddess Sekhmet, who thereby became the negative, destructive side of Bastet." (Lurker, Manfred. "The Gods and Symbols of Ancient Egypt." Thames and Hudson, London, 1986, p. 32) Ever since, statuettes comprised of various materials have characterized her as a doting mother cat. Her cult expanded decisively when her town of Bubastis (derived from Per Bastet, meaning "House of Bastet") became the royal residence of the kings of the 22nd Dynasty during the 10th century BCE. The city hosted an annual festival honoring Bastet in celebration of the Nile flood waters, and she was honored throughout Egypt through the first millennium BCE.

Beyond the goddess, cats - known in ancient Egypt as "mau" - were honored and protected in Egyptian society. Herodotus famously wrote that Egyptian men would protect cats from fire and that households would mourn the death of a cat and by shaving their eyebrows to signify their loss. A bronze votive like this example was perhaps sold at a temple in Bubastis to a worshipper and either given as an offering or kept in a personal shrine or altar. The quality of this votive suggests that it was a rich and potent offering.

A similar, though slightly larger, bronze figure of Bastet hammered 52,100 British pounds (equivalent to $87,653.04 at the time) at Christie's London on September 23rd, 1998 (lot 143, live auction 8126).

Provenance: private Jones collection, Boulder, Colorado, USA; Bastet: ex-Artemis Gallery, Louisville, Colorado, USA, acquired via a private sale in 2022; ex-private Florida, USA collection acquired over thirty years ago

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.

We ship worldwide to most countries and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.

#181628

Bastet has chipping to tops of ears and expected surface wear with nicks and abrasions as shown, all commensurate with age. Otherwise, intact and excellent with liberal remaining detail and rich patina throughout.