Egyptian
An Egyptian basalt head of a queen or goddess, Hellenistic, Ptolemaic dynasty, circa 300 - 30 BC
Basalt
Height: 7.1 cm
Her hair is arranged in corkscrew curls with a band around the head. There is a drilled hole in the top of the head. Her face is characterised by heavy...
Her hair is arranged in corkscrew curls with a band around the head. There is a drilled hole in the top of the head. Her face is characterised by heavy lidded almond shaped eyes.
Provenance
European private collection, late 19th to early 20th century, based on marble plinth base inscribed 'A Squadilli / Napoli'UK private collection, Worcestershire, acquired before 2000
Literature
This portrait head, sculpted from a hard black stone, is characterised by the centrally parted hair and falling corkscrew curls. These curls, known as 'Libyan curls' were newly introduced in the Ptolemaic period. The style was fashionable for the goddess Isis, but was also highly favoured by the Ptolemaic queens.For other similar representations of Isis or Ptolemaic queens, cf. S. Walker & P. Higgs, Cleopatra of Egypt, (London 2001), nos.160-8.