Description: A pale blue faience Shu amulet showing a flat outline figure with incised detail of a kneeling male with raised arms, wearing a flattened solar disk. Amulet has a back pillar pierced for suspension behind the head. The modelling rather cursory as is typical of the type, Some minor surface wear, otherwise condition good.
Size: 18 mm/0.7 in. high
Culture: Egyptian
Date: Late Dynastic Period, c. 730-300 B.C.
Provenance: From the collection of Julian Bird (1959-2014) and acquired from Cheffins Auctioneers, Cambridge, Fine Art Sale in November 2011 (part of Lot 110), and previously in a Cambridge private collection.
Background: Julian Bird was a passionate collector of Egyptian antiquities, who built up a fine and extensive collection from the 1970s onwards. He sourced his items mainly from the UK market, from specialist dealers, fairs, markets and auctioneers. He was a model collector, carefully documenting his collection, and his notes on this particular item will be supplied to the buyer.