Egyptian bronze Horus falcon, Late Period, circa 716-30 B.C.

An Egyptian bronze Horus falcon, Late Period, circa 716-30 B.C.

This magnificent bronze depicts the Horus falcon standing with his wings crossed over his tail feathers. The bronze work is delicate and of very high standard. The large, round eyes are inlaid with obsidian, a rare and valuable volcanic glass imported to Egypt from Ethiopia and the Aegean. These lustrous, deep black eyes and the recessed, once-inlaid feathered eye corners enhance the lifelikeness of the figure and indicate that it was most likely modelled after a lanner falcon, which was often associated to the god Horus. Remains of inlay can be seen in the finely engraved plumage. A tenon protruding from the top of the bird’s head shows that it once wore the pschent, the double crown of Egypt.

Horus, the falcon-headed god of the sky and kingship, son of Osiris and Isis, was one of the most significant and revered Egyptian deities. He was thought to embody the heavens, with his left eye representing the sun and his right the moon, whilst his spread wings protected the earth below. During the Predynastic period he was the patron god of Nekhen, the religious and political capital of Upper Egypt. Most significantly, the cult of Horus at Nekhen played an important role in the creation of the historical pharaonic state by Narmer, the legendary king of Upper Egypt (circa 3150 B.C.). The pharaoh was thought to be the earthly embodiment of Horus, and the falcon god’s role as protector of kingship functioned as a unifying political tool throughout the country. As such, he can be considered the first true national god of Egypt.

Height: 18 cm (7 inches), 20 cm (7.9 inches) including base.

Provenance:

With Mrs D. Samuels, acquired before 1971.

Sotheby’s London, 12 July 1971, Antiquities sale, lot 51.

This object is eligible for a Certificate of BADA Provenance

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