Egypt, Romano-Egyptian period, ca. 30 BCE to 2nd century CE. A stunning cast-bronze depiction of Hermanubis, a hybridized deity composed of qualities of the Greek deity Hermes and the Egyptian deity Anubis. Hermanubis presents in a standing pose with his left leg forward, wearing a flowing knee-length chiton and a fastened cape, with his right arm bent and holding a caduceus in his left. His jackal-form head is composed of ovoid eyes, a conical snout, and characteristic pointed ears, and a feathered crown projects from the top. Covered in lustrous espresso-hued patina, this is an excellent example of the amalgam god! Custom wooden display stand included. Size: 1.3" W x 3.75" H (3.3 cm x 9.5 cm); 4.5" H (11.4 cm) on included custom stand.

Hermanubis was a popular deity during the Romano-Egyptian periods because he took on characteristics from both Egyptian and Greek religious traditions. Both Hermes and Anubis are associated with the dead, and both are referred to as "psychopomps," spiritual shepherds meant to guide the souls of the recently-deceased into their respective realms of the afterlife. Hermanubis holds a symbolic caduceus in his left hand just as Hermes did in Greek lore, and he held a feather in his right, symbolic of the "feather of truth" Anubis used when conducting the "weighing of the heart" ceremony.

A stylistically-similar example of Hermanubis wearing a cuirass hammered for GBP 3,172 ($4,043.34) at Christie's, London, South Kensington Antiquities auction (sale 8724, April 12, 2000, lot 148): https://www.christies.com/lotfinder/lot/a-romano-egyptian-bronze-figure-of-the-psychopomp-1758954-details.aspx?from=searchresults&intObjectID=1758954&sid=bf42d000-f3c3-4ff0-bb75-51354fa14b1d

Provenance: private San Francisco, California, USA collection; ex-private Elliot Picket collection, New York, New York, USA; ex-Sotheby's, New York Antiquities auction (sale 5640, November 24, 1987, lot 162)

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.

#137095

Losses to right hand and both feet. Minor wear to some high-point areas, slight bending to plume, and fading to some finer details. Light earthen deposits and fabulous brown patina throughout.