An Egyptian Polychrome Limestone Ushabti of Neb-mehyt (Nebmehite), 19th Dynasty, 1292-1190 B.C.

Auction Closed

December 3, 04:39 PM GMT

Estimate

15,000 - 25,000 CHF

Lot Details

Description

Lord of the North Wind, Governor of the Southern Oasis, holding a seed-sack over his back and wearing a double wig of straight and echeloned curls, the nine lines of engraved inscription naming the owner, his titles, and reciting Spell VI of the Book of the Dead on his behalf, the implements formerly painted.


Height 30 cm.

excavated at Abydos by Émile Amelineau in 1895/1896

private collection, The Netherlands, acquired in the late 1960s/early 1970s, or earlier

private collection, The Netherlands, by descent from the above

acquired by the present owner from the above

In a letter dated July 25th, 2022, Prof. Hans D. Schneider notes the following:


"Nebmehite's title is interesting. The 'Governor of the Southern Oasis' controlled the large oasis in the Western Desert, today called the Oasis of Chargeh, near the ancient Egyptian city of Abydos on the Nile. This oasis and Abydos were connected by a desert track. The Oasis of Chargeh and the other oases in the desert west of the Nile Valley were very fertile areas where the Egyptians cultivated vineyards. They were also important for the water supply of the caravans that travelled along the trade routes to the south. Nebmehite must have been one of the most prominent provincial governors of his time.

 

Nebmehite may have been buried at Abydos, yet his ushabtis were not found in his tomb but elsewhere in the sacred precincts of the god Osiris at Abydos. Several examples of such "ex-sepulchral ushabtis" (ushabtis deposited outside the tomb) are known. It was not unusual for a person to have one or even a small number of shabtis buried during his lifetime at certain sacred places in the desert, such as Abydos and Giza. The owners of the ushabtis buried there hoped that in this way they would come into contact with the gods in those areas."

 

According to J. Aubert, Amelineau found at least five polychrome limestone ushabtis and one small terracotta example. They all became part of his personal collection before being sold on the market. In total, including the present example, eight ushabtis of Nebmehite are known, all of which probably originate from Amelineau's excavations: Brussels, Musée du Cinquantenaire: three polychrome limestone examples (Götter, Gräber und die Kunst, exh. cat., Linz, 1989, no. 180, p. 205-206, and https://www.globalegyptianmuseum.org/record.aspx?id=136; London, British Museum: one limestone example, inv. no. 27722 (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/Y_EA27722); Eton College: two examples, one in polychrome limestone (https://catalogue.etoncollege.com/object-ecm-1657-2010) and one in faience (H. D. Schneider et al., The Small Masterpieces of Egyptian Art. Selections from the Myers Museum at Eton College, 2003, pp. 51-52; Aubert Collection: one faience example (J.-F. and L. Aubert, Statuettes égyptiennes, chaouabtis, ouchebtis, 1974, pp. 65 and 102, pl. 8, fig. 17)."

(C) 2025 Sotheby's
All alcoholic beverage sales in New York are made solely by Sotheby's Wine (NEW L1046028)