Golden circlet in the shape of a snake
Price: on request
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Object number
AR2881
| Object: |
Gold circlet in the shape of a snake
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| Material: |
Gold.
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| Period: |
1st century AD, Roman Imperial. Possibly slightly earlier towards the end of ptolemaic reign. |
| Description: |
Small circlet shaped like a snake, possibly a very small bracelet or hair decoration. The open hoop has a circular profile with overlapping ends. The surface at both ends is structured by crossed engraved lines forming rhomboid scales. One end resembles the head of the snake, the other end its tail. Snake jewellery was not worn in Egypt traditionally. It was only introduced during the Ptolemaic Period. This piece can be attributed by comparison and was probably only made in Egypt during Roman Imperial times. |
| Dimensions: |
Approx. 50mm outer diameter.
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| Condition: |
Near perfect condition, snake head preserved in all details, snake tail slightly chipped. Light patina at the smooth part of the gold surface.
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| Provenance: |
Acquired by us in 2019 from a traditional Paris auction house. Ex swiss collection Bouvier which was formed over 2 generations. Acquired for the collection by its founder Prof. Maurice Bouvier between 1929 and 1959 in Egypt. Between 1959 and 2019 in Switzerland. This object was probably acquired by Prof. Bouvier from the Egyptian antiquities dealer Phokion J. Tanos in Cairo or Tawfiq Sa'ad in Alexandria, which one can't be determined with certainty from his notes. There were three gold rings in snake shape of very similar type in the collection (our object number AR2881, AR2882A, AR2882B). Maurice Bouvier (1901 - 1981) studied law in Neuchatel and was appointed as a professor by the government of Egypt in 1929. First he taught at the University of Assiut and later at the University of Cairo where he discovered his passion for the history of Ancient Egypt. In 1943, Bouvier moved to Alexandria where he taught law until 1959. After ending his professional career, he moved to the village of Gruyeres in Switzerland in 1959, where he spent his retirement. During the 30 years in Egypt between 1929 and 1959, Prof. Bouvier built a comprehensive collection of Egyptian art with artefacts from Prehistoric Egypt, the Pharaonic and Roman era as well as many Coptic and Islamic antiquities. In 1959, he brought his collection to Switzerland. Prof. Bouvier's collection was recognized in professional circles, many objects including the gold jewellery offered here were on exhibition in important European museums. After Mr. Bouvier passed away in 1981, his son and heir took over the vast collection, thoroughly taking care of the artefacts until they were released into the art market again in 2019 in a series of auctions. |
| Published: |
Exhibited in "Ägypten - Augenblicke der Ewigkeit", Antikenmuseum Basel und Sammlung Ludwig, 1997 March 18th to 1997 July 13th. Exhibited by Musée d'Art et d'Histoire Geneva in the building of Musée Rath in Geneva, 1997 September 26th to 1998 January 11th. Published in M. Page-Gasser, A.B.Wiese, Ägypten - Augenblicke der Ewigkeit, exhibition catalogue (Philipp von Zabern, 1997), p. 314, no. 218 (group of three pieces). |
| References: |
Cf. R. A. Higgins, Greek and Roman Jewellery, plate 61, E. Cf. Walters Art Museum, accession no. 57.528 and 57.529. Cf. Metropolitan Museum of Art, accession no. 18.2.19. |
| Authenticity: |
We unconditionally guarantee the authenticity of every artefact, all items are subject to our lifetime return policy on authenticity.
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