Ancient Egyptian Faience Flask Depicting Sekhmet & Lotus Flower Rosette - 26th Dynasty, c. 664–525 BC

A beautiful New Year's flask dating to the 26th Dynasty of Ancient Egypt, c. 664-525BC.  
It features a light green/blue body of Lentoid form with arched handles flanking the trumpet-shaped spout. 
The vessel is crafted from Egyptian faience, a silica/quartz based material known natively as tjehenet ( meaning “gleaming" or "dazzling").

One side of the flask is decorated with a large rosette and the other with Sekhmet, the lioness-headed goddess. The presence of Sekhmet is particularly appropriate to an object associated with protection and renewal, as the goddess was associated not only with destruction and disease but also with protection, healing and the restoration of health.

These vessels are commonly referred to as ‘New Year’s flasks’, a distinctive form of small faience vessel associated with the celebrations surrounding the Egyptian New Year. 
The New Year coincided with the season of the annual Nile inundation, an event fundamental to agricultural life in ancient Egypt and closely connected with ideas of renewal and prosperity. 

Along with other precious liquids such as perfume and oil, these types of flasks are thought to have been used to hold water from the Nile, and may have been presented as gifts associated with the festive season.

Specimen Details:

Culture: Ancient Egypt

Origin: Nile Valley, Egypt, N. Africa.

Period: 26th Dynasty (Saite Dynasty), Late Period, c.664-525 BC 

Specimen: New year flask 

Material: Faience 

Form: Decorated lentoid body with twin arched handles flanking the trumpet-shaped spout.

Depiction/design: Sekhmet - the lioness-headed goddess of warfare, disease, healing, and medicine.

Dimensions: 60mm x 41mm 

Condition: Very good condition. Overall shape and details are preserved particularly well with small amounts of wear consistent with age; loss to one of the small handles in antiquity. Please refer to images.

Provenance: Private collection, UK.
Ex London auction Sep ‘22 (Pax Romana-Lot Y156).
Prior to that the specimen was held within the collection of a London gentleman; formerly acquired in early 2000s in Londons; and previously recorded as having been held within a European collection dating to the 1970s.

The specimen is accompanied by documentation issued by London auction house (Pax Romana) dated September 2022, in the form of a certificate of authenticity issued to the previous custodian. The document relates specifically to this specimen and includes a photograph of the flask in its present condition together with its recorded provenance.  Please see the final image for a photograph of this document. 

Reference: New Year Flasks from the 26th Dynasty, research paper published by the Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology, London.