Sandstone Relief with the Depiction of Nile God Hapi

Culture: Egyptian

Period: Late period, 664-332 B.C.

Material: Sandstone

Dimensions: 27 cm x 21.5 cm

Price: Sold

Ref: 1435

Provenance: French private collection Madame D. for at least 45 years. Last in a court-ordered auction of the private collection of Madame D.

Condition: Unrestored

Description: Sunken sandstone relief with a finely modelled depiction of Nile god Hapi in profile to the right. Hapi wears a tripartite wig with a long lobe, the false beard, a collar, and a crown with a tuft of papyrus plants. His left arm is stretched forward and holds possibly a papyrus– or lotus stem. Hapi was responsible for the Nile flooding, which left fertile soil behind, and which was called "arrival of Hapi" by the Egyptians. As symbol of the life-giving Nile, he was also worshiped as Creator and "Father of the gods". Mounted.