Third Intermediate-Late Period, circa 1081-343 B.C. A substantial bronze figure of the seated god Osiris wearing a tight fitting garment and holding his typical regalia, the heka-sceptre in his left hand and the nehaha-flail in the right, wearing the White Crown (Hedjet) of Upper Egypt with a finely detailed uraeus at the front; the long beard with finely incised detail modelled separately from the chest and supported from behind by a slender ‘post’; apanied by a custom-made display stand. See Roeder, G., Ägyptische Bronzewerke, Berlin, 1956, p.143, Abb.201, for a similar beard support; Roeder, G., ‘Die Arme der Osiris-Mumie,’ in Firchow, O. (ed.), Ägyptologische Studien, Berlin, 1955, pp. 248-286; cf. National Museum of Antiquities, Leiden, inv. no. F 1955/10. 1.8 kg total, 28cm high including stand (11 in.). Acquired in the 1970s-1980s. Private collection, thence by descent. Private collection, since 1998. Apanied by a two page academic report by Egyptologist Paul Whelan. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is apanied by AIAD certificate no.11293-189888. Osiris was the pre-eminent god of the Underworld and a central figure in ancient Egyptian funerary beliefs over several millennia. He represented the incarnation of the deceased pharaoh, hence his royal regalia, and could ensure passage to the afterlife for ordinary Egyptians. Not surprisingly, he was worped throughout Egypt, although his most important cult centres were at Abydos in the south and Busiris in the northern Delta region. For this specific lot, 5% import VAT is applicable on the hammer price [A video of this lot is available to view on Timeline Auctions .]