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Two Bronze Portraits from Egypt

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 December 2013

C. C. Edgar
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Extract

The bronze statuettes which are reproduced on PL XVIII. form part of the small collection of Greek and Roman antiquities in the Egyptian department of the British Museum, They are practically entire, though the surface of the bronze has suffered considerably from oxydization. I am much indebted to the authorities of the Museum for allowing me to publish two such interesting pieces.

The provenance of the two bronzes is indicated by their place in the Museum: they come from Egypt. It is evident too that they have been made as a pair. At first sight they might be taken for Olympian deities, but looking more closely one sees that the heads are intended for portraits. They must therefore represent a deified king and queen, and there can be little doubt as to what royal couple they do represent.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Hellenic Studies , Volume 26 , November 1906 , pp. 281 - 282
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for the Promotion of Hellenic Studies 1906

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References

1 Nos. 38442, 38443. Mr. H. R. Hall kindly supplies the following details: Height of Ptolemy 1 ft. 31 in.; of Arsinoe 1 ft. 2 in. They are apparently hollow cast, but it is not possible to say whether each figure was made in one piece or several. The pupils of the eyes are incised. The object hanging from Ptolemy's arm might be either a lion's skin or a cloak.

2 See the beginning of the Adule inscription (e.g. Mahaffy, , Hist. of Eg. p. 105)Google Scholar.

3 E.g. Wallis, , Eg. Ceramic Art, p. 50Google Scholar, Fig. 103.

4 xi. 497. The context and the monuments combine to show that it is the δίκερας and not the simple κέρας of which he is speaking. δοκεῖ δὲ σκευοποιηθῆναι ύπό [or ἐπὶ] πρώτου τοῦ Φιλαδέλφου Πτολεμαίου βασιλέως φορήματα γεϝέσθαι τῶν ᾿ Αρσινόης εἰκόνων. τῇ γὰρ εὐωνύμῳ χειρὶ τοιοῦτον φορεῖ δημιούργημα πάντων τῶν ὠραίων πλῆρες ἐμφαινόντων τῶν δημιουργῶν ὠς καὶ τοῦ τῆς ῾ Αμαλθείας ἐστὶν ὀλβιώτερον τὸ κέρας τοῦτο μνημονεύει αὐτοῦ Θεοκλῆς ἐν Ιθυ φάλλοις οὔτως πἁντες οἱ τεχνῖται πἁντες οἱ τεχνῖται μεθ᾿ ὦν πιὼν τὸ δίκερας ὡς τὸν φίλτατον βασιλέα πάρειμι

5 A list, which might be considerably enlarged, is given by Mr.Wace, in J.H.S., 1905, p. 90Google Scholar.