Wooden Statuette of Hapi, Son of Horus

Culture: Egyptian

Period: 27th (Persian) Dynasty, 525-404 B.C.

Material: Holz

Dimensions: 38 cm high

Price: Sold

Ref: 1117

Provenance: French collection A Raifé. Sold at Hôtel des Commissaires-priseurs, rue Drouot Nr 5, Paris, on 23rd March 1867, lot 184. See catalogue "Collection A. Raifé. Antiquités Egyptiennes, Babyloniennes ... le lundi 18 mars et les 5 jours suivants". Thence sold at auction on 26th november 1939 in Paris. Finally French private collection H. With French antiquities passport.

Condition: Unrestored and of excellent quality.

Description: Extremely rare wooden statuette of Hapi, son of Horus, with a baboon head whose role was to protect the lung of the deceased. The statuette was possibly part of a four-part ensemble of wooden statuettes representing Horus’ four sons Amset, Hapi, Duamutef and Qebehsenuef. Pyramid texts already refer to Hapi as the tutelary god of the deceased and a helper for the ascent to heaven. The fine modelled statuette in mummy form wearing the tri-partite wig, preserved in large parts is the polychrome painting of the body with abundant neck jewellery and scarab pectoral. A bit below the centre part the four Horus sons are depicted. A model similar in style is today in the Metropolitan Museum in New York, Accession Number: 12.182.37d. Probably from Tuna el-Gebel in middle Egypt.