Dramatic Egyptian Gesso'd Wood Ibis Head

Ancient Egypt, Third Intermediate to Late Dynastic Period, ca. 1070 to 332 BCE. A dramatic, playful head of an ibis, carved with a dramatically long beak, a large eye, incised curves behind the eye giving the impression of a swirl of feathers, and a long, straight tab for insertion into a body. Ibis figures - consisting of separately carved heads and legs attached to hollow wooden bodies were used by the Egyptians to hold the mummified remains of ibises who were linked to Toth, the god of wisdom and writing. This example is decorated with gesso, and the remains of original pigmentation - pale green and gilt - are still visible in many places on the surface. Size: 15.4" W x 1.5" H (39.1 cm x 3.8 cm); 4.45" H (11.3 cm) on included custom stand.

The ibis, an elegant, long-legged wading bird that lives along the shores of the Nile, was associated with the god Thoth. He was the god of wisdom and writing, and in worship to him many thousands of ibises were ritually sacrificed, embalmed, and mummified before being buried in underground galleries. Thousands of these burials have been excavated at Saqqara, near Memphis, Egypt's ancient capital.

Provenance: private J.H. collection, Beaverton, Oregon, USA, acquired in 2017; ex-Relics of the Nile / Mike Sigler collection, Lexington, Kentucky, USA

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#149623
Condition Report: Details are wonderfully preserved, with much of the original gesso and pigmentation remaining. There is one fissure from weathering along the length of the piece, but this does not threaten its integrity. Tiny chips, nicks, and scratches on the surface commensurate with age.