Ancient Egyptian Bone Torches
Three Ancient Egyptian Bone Torches
£995
Large - stands 19” Tall (50cm); not ivory.
Originally, they would have been 3 separate items and either used to carry torches/candles - they are rivetted together to form this very unusual and striking centre piece.
The men appear to be loin clothed slaves carrying vessels on their heads with the depiction of a bird, perhaps the Sacred Ibis.
The sacred ibis was worshipped by the ancient Egyptians. The peak of cultic activities involving birds led to sanctuaries dedicated to the worship of the ibis being established throughout Egypt. Birds were raised both in captivity and found in the wild, and royal subsidies of fields allowed the cultic administration to feed the birds and raise capital by leasing land for cultivation. The species is now extinct throughout Egypt due to drainage of swamplands, their natural habitat.
In the ancient Egyptian language, an ibis on a perch was the hieroglyphic sign for the god Thoth. Thoth was the god of writing and knowledge – he was also the God who preserved the country from plagues and serpents. The birds were often mummified and then buried with pharaohs.
In Ancient Egypt Birds are symbolic of the limitations of being human, as birds can fly, swim and travel long distances. With a bird’s ability to fly high in the sky, the ancients believed that birds could join the gods and therefore serve as messengers to the divine. Birds were often thought to serve as vessels for the gods as well.
Perhaps whoever held the torch/candle was thereby offered protection from the Sacred Ibis too. The naivety of the carving also lends credence to its age, as the facial features of the men do to the African Continent.
We have no way of authenticating the age of the piece but everything about it screams genuine and we personally believe it to be Ancient Egyptian – but it is an uninformed belief. It is potentially 2,500 – 3,000 years old….and very beautiful.
Three Ancient Egyptian Bone Torches
£995
Large - stands 19” Tall (50cm); not ivory.
Originally, they would have been 3 separate items and either used to carry torches/candles - they are rivetted together to form this very unusual and striking centre piece.
The men appear to be loin clothed slaves carrying vessels on their heads with the depiction of a bird, perhaps the Sacred Ibis.
The sacred ibis was worshipped by the ancient Egyptians. The peak of cultic activities involving birds led to sanctuaries dedicated to the worship of the ibis being established throughout Egypt. Birds were raised both in captivity and found in the wild, and royal subsidies of fields allowed the cultic administration to feed the birds and raise capital by leasing land for cultivation. The species is now extinct throughout Egypt due to drainage of swamplands, their natural habitat.
In the ancient Egyptian language, an ibis on a perch was the hieroglyphic sign for the god Thoth. Thoth was the god of writing and knowledge – he was also the God who preserved the country from plagues and serpents. The birds were often mummified and then buried with pharaohs.
In Ancient Egypt Birds are symbolic of the limitations of being human, as birds can fly, swim and travel long distances. With a bird’s ability to fly high in the sky, the ancients believed that birds could join the gods and therefore serve as messengers to the divine. Birds were often thought to serve as vessels for the gods as well.
Perhaps whoever held the torch/candle was thereby offered protection from the Sacred Ibis too. The naivety of the carving also lends credence to its age, as the facial features of the men do to the African Continent.
We have no way of authenticating the age of the piece but everything about it screams genuine and we personally believe it to be Ancient Egyptian – but it is an uninformed belief. It is potentially 2,500 – 3,000 years old….and very beautiful.
Three Ancient Egyptian Bone Torches
£995
Large - stands 19” Tall (50cm); not ivory.
Originally, they would have been 3 separate items and either used to carry torches/candles - they are rivetted together to form this very unusual and striking centre piece.
The men appear to be loin clothed slaves carrying vessels on their heads with the depiction of a bird, perhaps the Sacred Ibis.
The sacred ibis was worshipped by the ancient Egyptians. The peak of cultic activities involving birds led to sanctuaries dedicated to the worship of the ibis being established throughout Egypt. Birds were raised both in captivity and found in the wild, and royal subsidies of fields allowed the cultic administration to feed the birds and raise capital by leasing land for cultivation. The species is now extinct throughout Egypt due to drainage of swamplands, their natural habitat.
In the ancient Egyptian language, an ibis on a perch was the hieroglyphic sign for the god Thoth. Thoth was the god of writing and knowledge – he was also the God who preserved the country from plagues and serpents. The birds were often mummified and then buried with pharaohs.
In Ancient Egypt Birds are symbolic of the limitations of being human, as birds can fly, swim and travel long distances. With a bird’s ability to fly high in the sky, the ancients believed that birds could join the gods and therefore serve as messengers to the divine. Birds were often thought to serve as vessels for the gods as well.
Perhaps whoever held the torch/candle was thereby offered protection from the Sacred Ibis too. The naivety of the carving also lends credence to its age, as the facial features of the men do to the African Continent.
We have no way of authenticating the age of the piece but everything about it screams genuine and we personally believe it to be Ancient Egyptian – but it is an uninformed belief. It is potentially 2,500 – 3,000 years old….and very beautiful.