Ancient Egyptian situla from Saqqara North Saqqara dated 664 – 332 BC

Cast bronze situla, votive offering, with lotiform petal base decorated with scenes in three registers around vessel. See notes for details of decoration and inscriptions.
Bolmg: 1971.13 A; Decoration — Top register: two standing baboons adore a shrine boat carrrying a seated figure of Re; behind are a sun boat, two papyrus stalks and a Wadjet eye. Central register: standing worshipper wearing a short kilt, arm & wrist bands and anklets offers at a low rectangular altar on which are 4 cones and holds up plaque with inscription “Amun in Opet”. Before altar stands ithyphallic Amun and behind him figures of Isis holding a staff, low flat altar, Mut touching Isis’s shoulder, Nephthys holding a staff, Ptah in his shrine, Sakhmet touching the shrine and Nefertum holding a staff. Bottom register: Wadjet eye flanked by two ankh signs, two winged scarab beetles and six papyrus columns. Beneath rim: inscription in hieroglyphs reading “May Isis give life (to)…”

Object details

  • Reference: BOLMG:1971.13.A
  • Material: copper alloy
  • Culture: Dynasty 26 - 30
  • Period: Late Period
  • Excavator: W.B. Emery
  • Dated: 664 - 332 BC
  • Object name: situla
  • Dimensions: Length: 174mm , Width: 69mm , Depth: 69mm
  • Published references: Insley Green Temple Furniture p 71 cat no 167 fig 102
  • Site: Saqqara
  • Latitude: 29.871111
  • Longitude: 31.216389