In Ancient Egyptian culture and mythology Harpocrates, Harpa-Khruti (Horus the Child), was the son of the goddess Isis and her husband Osiris. The deity was often depicted as a small boy, with a sidelock of youth and the index finger held to the lips or the chin, a typical Egyptian gesture symbolising childhood and also the Ancient Egyptian hieroglyph for “child”. The deity was later adopted by the Greeks and the misinterpretation of the gesture of the finger to the lips led to the association of Harpocrates with silence, hence making him the god of silence, secrets and confidentiality in Ancient Greek and Roman mythology. This partial statuette is therefore a beautiful example of the cultural and aesthetic syncretism which was common in Antiquity across the Mediterranean regions. Functionally, this fragment would have once been part of a larger statuette and would have been used as a votive offering given by an individual during prayer, and deposited intact in a temple.
Roman Provincial Bronze Statuette of Mercury
$672.05
Romano-Egyptian Terracotta Head of Harpocrates
$196.86
Greco-Egyptian Terracotta Head of Harpocrates
$332.63
A Greco-Egyptian terracotta, hollow-moulded fragmentary head, likely portraying the god Harpocrates as a youth. His hair is shaved except for a side-lock, which was a common hairstyle for young boys in ancient Egypt. The facial features are rendered naturalistically, considerably clear and evident. The head has been modelled in a two-part mould: traces of the joining seam can be seen at the mid-way point vertically.
The piece is supplied with a custom-made stand.
Out of stock
Additional information
| Weight | 135.1 g |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 7.5 × 7.5 × 8.6 cm |
| Culture | Ancient Egyptian, Ancient Greek |
| Region | North Africa, Southern Europe |
| Pottery porcelain | Terracotta |
| Pottery and Porcelain | Terracotta |
