Egyptian terracotta childbirth bed figurine

E306

£500.00

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A terracotta model of a woman lying on a bed with an indistinct figure of an infant by her legs. These bed models, either produced in limestone or terracotta, are thought to be linked to childbirth rituals, presumably to assist with fertility or as a protecting force during birth. Similar figures have been found deposited as offerings in temples and shrines.

Culture
Egypt, New Kingdom to Third Intermediate Period, c. 1550-730 BC

Size
12.1 x 5.9 cms

Condition
Foot of bed chipped, two legs missing and one repaired

Provenance
Ex. collection: Gabriele and Wolfgang Leiner, Germany; acquired 1944 and thence by family descent. Accompanied by a photocopy of a collection index card with photo recording the acquisition date.

For a closely related example in the Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest, please see:
https://www.mfab.hu/artworks/13351/

For a fine limestone example in the British Museum, please see:
https://www.bmimages.com/preview.asp?image=00031233001

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