Bell with head of a bovine wearing a yoke ending in uraei

Art Historical Context

This exquisite leaded bronze bell from Egypt's Ptolemaic Period332–30 B.C.) features the detailed head of a bovine—likely a cow or bulladorned with a yoke that terminates in rearing uraei, the sacred cobras symbolizing protection and royal power. Crafted during the era of Greek rulers like the Ptolemies, who blended Hellenistic influences with deep Egyptian traditions, this small (just 4.4 cm high) exemplifies the cultural syncretism of the time. Bovines held profound religious significance in ancient Egypt, evoking deities like Hathor, the goddess of love and fertility, or the sacred Apis bul...