Egyptian Bronze Votive Sarcophagus w/ Shrew

Egypt, Late Dynastic Period, 26th to 31st Dynasty, ca. 664 to 332 BCE. A cast-bronze votive sarcophagus of a slender, rectangular form with a plug on one end and an openwork pyramidal ornament on the other. The sarcophagus is surmounted by a petite shrew that stands atop four legs and has a bulbous body, a sinuous tail, and a tapered head with impressed eyes. The adult Egyptian pygmy shrew is one of the smallest mammals on earth, weighing just 7 grams, but they are voracious eaters - in fact, the Egyptian word for the animal translates to "voracious". They were associated with the solar deity. Thousands of mummified shrews, given as offerings to try to intercede with the gods, have been found underneath Egyptian temples. Size: 2.2" L x 0.7" W x 1" H (5.6 cm x 1.8 cm x 2.5 cm)

Provenance: private J.H. collection, Beaverton, Oregon, USA, acquired around 2012; ex-Relics of the Nile, Lexington, Kentucky, USA

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#151240
Condition Report: Minor abrasions and pitting to areas of sarcophagus and shrew, with light encrustations, and softening to some details on shrew, otherwise intact and very good. Light earthen deposits and nice patina throughout.