Egypt, Alexandria, Romano-Egyptian period, ca. 1st century BCE to 1st century CE. A mold-made terracotta double flask unguentarium, decorated with a nude Harpocrates. He wears the sidelock and double crown and sits on a laurel wreath, with legs crossed at the ankles, his index finger pointing to his mouth. He holds a cornucopia, and the bottom of the flask is decorated with foliage. A suspension knob is placed on the back. Comes with custom stand. Size: 2.45" W x 3.4" H (6.2 cm x 8.6 cm)

During the Ptolemaic period, Isis-Hathor, Serapis, and Harpocrates formed the Triad of Alexandria, and in 2011 the Egyptian office of archaeology announced that they had found the ruins of a Ptolemaic temple containing many similar figures. The British Museum exhibit on Naukratis shows the remains of terracotta molds for making models just like this one; they were made from a dark red-brown Nile silt in vast workshops. These figures were made for locals, but reflected the influence of Greek naturalistic styles in their depictions of the deities. They were bought by individuals and are found overwhelmingly in domestic contexts. Harpocrates was the god of silence, secrets, and confidentiality. The person who owned this cosmetics case would have been using something with a symbol of a god they may have identified with or whose help they may have sought; it may also have reflected civic pride in the gods of Alexandria.

Provenance: Ex-Paris, France collection

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#120886

Intact, with fine remaining detail and clear motifs.