An Egyptian Limestone Relief of Khonsu

Late Period to Ptolemaic Period, 664-30 B.C.

Height 19 inches (48.3 cm).

Property from a Private West Coast Collection

Provenance:

Private Collection, North America.

Sotheby's, New York, Antiquities and Islamic Art, 12 June 1993, Lot 45.

Nye & Company, Bloomfield, New Jersey, 8 September 2022, Lot 638.

The bark carrying the shrine on this relief is not a solar boat, but a "lunar boat," because the falcon-headed deity crowned with a disk and crescent is Khonsu, whose name is written in the hieroglyphic caption.

Khonsu is a moon-god whose name is understood as the "traveler" or "wanderer." He is the son of Amun and Mut, and together they form the "Theban triad." The disk is a lunar disk, which is typical when it appears along with the crescent. Together, the different phases of the moon are represented. He is represented either as a child or youth with a sidelock, or as a falcon-headed man crowned with the disk and crescent. Khonsu is also known as a potent exorcist or driver-out and vanquisher of demons, as described in the story inscribed on the "Bentresh Stela."

In the present relief, the boat bears the shrine containing the image of the deity. It has carrying poles and is carried by priests in religious processions. Here it is set down on a pedestal or plinth which is a way-station on the route of the procession.

For references on Khonsu, see R. H. Wilkinson, The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt; G. Hart, A Dictionary of Egyptian Gods and Goddesses; and J. Houser-Wegner, "Khonsu," in The Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt, Vol. 2.

Inspected under UV light and 10x loupe. Surface weathered with some gouges and scratches. Areas of darker patination. Edges jagged and back surface rough. Two mounts attached to back. Sticker labeled "E 114" on proper left side edge. Width 15 inches (38.1 cm). Overall in fine and attractive condition. See additional images.

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Jacob Coley

Senior Vice President, Head of Department, Antiquities and Ancient Art

[email protected]312 280 1212

Mr. Coley joined the Antiquities department in 2021 after working as Managing Director in the Ancient Art department at Colnaghi, the world’s oldest commercial art gallery, where he helped to establish the Ancient Art department and launched Colnaghi New York in 2017. Prior to Colnaghi, Mr. Coley was in the Greek and Roman Art department at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Mr. Coley holds a B.A. from the University of Miami and an M.A. in Art Market from the Fashion Institute of Technology, and he earned an art-appraisal certificate from New York University.

Antiquities & Ancient Art

An Egyptian Limestone Relief of Khonsu

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