Phoenician Gold Burial Mask Components
Ancient Eastern Mediterranean, Phoenicia, ca. 6th to 4th century BCE. The stunning eyes, mouth, and diadem from a gold burial mask. Each piece is a masterwork of the repousse technique, with lifelike eyes, lips, and decoration formed from thin gold sheet. The gold is 87% pure, equivalent to 21K. The eyes have clearly delineated eyelashes, small lids, and are depicted as if in life despite being from a funerary mask: open and focused. The mouth is closed, with small, full lips. The diadem has an even, studded pattern along its length. Here they are displayed on a modern cast of a face, mounted on a modern red cloth backing in a modern gilded wood frame. Size of mouth (largest piece: 2" W x 1.2" H (5.1 cm x 3 cm); size of frame: 13.55" W x 15.75" H (34.4 cm x 40 cm); gold is 87% pure, equivalent to 21K
Members of Phoenician royalty were buried with gold death masks, or with their eyes and fingernails covered with gold and/or silver foil like these examples. An inscription on the sarcophagus of Batnoam, mother of the Byblian king Ozbaal, tells us that she was buried with a gold mouth band. The gold foil style echoed a similar burial practice in Egypt. People believed that these precious metals created safe passage for their loved ones into the world of death - and showed off the wealth that they had in life.
Provenance: private California, USA collection; ex-Arte Primitivo, New York, USA, purchased prior to 2000
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 to most countries and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.
#145836
Condition Report: Eyes, mouth, and diadem are the ancient pieces here; the white face is a modern plastic cast and the frame and fabric are from the 20th century. The ancient gold has some tiny tears at the edges, mainly on the mouth and diadem, and is slightly bent. The eyes, particularly, are in excellent condition. They have not been examined outside of their frame.
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Ancient Eastern Mediterranean, Phoenicia, ca. 6th to 4th century BCE. The stunning eyes, mouth, and diadem from a gold burial mask. Each piece is a masterwork of the repousse technique, with lifelike eyes, lips, and decoration formed from thin gold sheet. The gold is 87% pure, equivalent to 21K. The eyes have clearly delineated eyelashes, small lids, and are depicted as if in life despite being from a funerary mask: open and focused. The mouth is closed, with small, full lips. The diadem has an even, studded pattern along its length. Here they are displayed on a modern cast of a face, mounted on a modern red cloth backing in a modern gilded wood frame. Size of mouth (largest piece: 2" W x 1.2" H (5.1 cm x 3 cm); size of frame: 13.55" W x 15.75" H (34.4 cm x 40 cm); gold is 87% pure, equivalent to 21K
Members of Phoenician royalty were buried with gold death masks, or with their eyes and fingernails covered with gold and/or silver foil like these examples. An inscription on the sarcophagus of Batnoam, mother of the Byblian king Ozbaal, tells us that she was buried with a gold mouth band. The gold foil style echoed a similar burial practice in Egypt. People believed that these precious metals created safe passage for their loved ones into the world of death - and showed off the wealth that they had in life.
Provenance: private California, USA collection; ex-Arte Primitivo, New York, USA, purchased prior to 2000
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 to most countries and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.
#145836
Condition Report: Eyes, mouth, and diadem are the ancient pieces here; the white face is a modern plastic cast and the frame and fabric are from the 20th century. The ancient gold has some tiny tears at the edges, mainly on the mouth and diadem, and is slightly bent. The eyes, particularly, are in excellent condition. They have not been examined outside of their frame.
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