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Relief of a Swallow Bird, Egypt, Ptolemaic era (3rd Century B.C.)
Since the Old Kingdom Period (approx. 2640 B.C.), swallows have been associated with the stars and therefore with the soul of the dead. The Egyptian Book of the Dead, a collection of texts included in tombs, provides advice on how to incarnate into a swallow. The deceased should say: "I am a swallow. I am a swallow. I am a scorpion, the daughter of Re". Then he will appear during the day and not be sent back to any of the underworld's gates and will regularly and continuously appear as a swallow. The continuous appearance is explained in the Pyramid text, the oldest religious text in existence as "the swallows are the stars around the everlasting pole star". Murals show swallows proudly perched on the bow of the solar boat as dawn's messengers and, in analogy, in poetry they announce the arrival of new love.
Measures: 3.5"H x 6.25"W x 0.75"D. Wall relief has a hanging mount and comes with a metal desk stand.
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