This is the rating and price for Egyptian Ptolemaic Painted Gesso / Wood Mummy Mask

Description : Ancient Egypt, Ptolemaic, ca. 305 to 30 BCE. A hand-carved wooden mummy mask with painted gesso details displaying quintessential Egyptian beauty with quixotic, large black outlined eyes framed by an arched browline that meets the bridge of its aquiline nose protruding above its closed and gently smiling lips. Above this elegant visage is a headress with wonderful remains of a decorative program delineated in red, sky blue, and cream hues over a black band. In addition to the black and white painted eyes and the surviving section of a polychrome headdress, there are traces of white pigment on the face. The flat back displays four drilled dowel holes, all containing remains of the original dowels. One can also make out these dowels on the front side - flanking the lips and at either end of the headdress. Size: 7.5 W x 9.75 H (19 cm x 24.8 cm), 13.5 H (34.3 cm) on included custom stand. The mask was an essential part of the mummy, placed over the head to provide an idealized image of the deceased as they would be resurrected. This mask and others like it were traditionally carved from cedar. Interestingly, cedar wood was not native to Egypt. Egypt did not have verdant forests filled with tall trees, and unfortunately most of its native lumber was of relatively poor quality. So they relied on importing to acquire hardwoods - ebony imported from Africa, cedar and pine from Lebanon. One fabulous obelisk inscription by Thutmose III attests to the luxury of treasured hardwoods. It reads as follows, They brought to me the choicest products . . . consisting of cedar, juniper and of meru wood . . . all the good sweet woods of God's Land. (Obelisk inscription by Thutmose III - J. H. Breasted, Ancient Records of Egypt, Part Two, p. 321) Provenance: ex-David Taylor collection, Hollywood, California, USA, acquired at Malter Gallery, Los Angeles, California, USA 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 and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience. #140308
Price: 0.00 USD It's free to register now to view!
Estimate (low-high) : 2600 USD-3900 USD It's free to register now to view!

Details