Egyptian glazed steatite frog seal of Queen Tiye
E124£1,500.00
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A fine and rare carved and glazed steatite seal in shape of a frog, the base inscribed with the cartouche of Queen Tiye.
Tiye is arguably among the most famous women of antiquity, although born to a land-owner and priestess she became the Queen Consort of Pharaoh Amenhotep III. She was famed for her beauty and wisdom; she was often shown as an equal to her husband when depicted in sculpture and was also a trusted advisor to her son the Pharaoh Akhenaten. As well as being the mother of the Pharaoh Akhenaten she was also the grandmother of Tutankhamun. The Berlin Museum’s exquisite wooden head of Queen Tiye is without doubt one of the most striking portraits from the ancient world.
Tiye was buried in the royal tomb at Amarna and later transfered to the Valley of the Kings, a lock of her hair was also placed in a miniature sarcophagus in the tomb of Tutankhamun dsicovered by Howard Carter.
Culture
Egypt, New Kingdom, 18th Dynasty, reign of Amenhotep III or Akhenaten, c. 1390-1353 BC
Size
1.4 x 1 cms
Condition
Intact apart from minor chipping around the edge of the base and general wear to the glaze
Provenance
Ex. private collection, Midlands, UK; acquired by inheritance from a collection formed in the 1940’s-1950’s.