Figurine · Late Period (Egypt)
Bronze Osiris figure
1070–30 BCE, Dynastic Egypt
Bronze Osiris figures were bought by pilgrims and dedicated at temples in vast numbers from the Third Intermediate Period through the Ptolemaic era, when Saqqara and other cult centres produced them by the tens of thousands. Sizes run from 60 mm to over 500 mm, the commonest being 100–200 mm; the better pieces have inlaid eyes, gilding or a dedication inscribed on the base. They are the commonest Egyptian bronze on the market and grade from crude to exquisite.
| Object | Figurine |
|---|---|
| Dates | 1070–30 BCE |
| Period | Late Period (Egypt) |
| Cultures | Dynastic Egypt |
| Regions | Egypt & Nile Valley |
Diagnostic traits
A solid-cast bronze figure of the mummiform god Osiris standing or seated, wearing the atef crown with plumes, holding crook and flail crossed over the chest, often with a tang beneath the feet.
Identification
The crook and flail with the atef crown is Osiris; Ptah has a skullcap and a sceptre, Isis nursing Horus is seated and female, and Amun wears a flat-topped crown with tall plumes. Late Period figures have finer faces and well-defined feet; Ptolemaic ones are often summary with a thick green crust.
Reproductions and fakes
Modern Cairo bronzes are widespread and are cast from moulds of genuine figures, with a painted or chemically induced green patina that is uniform and sits on top of a smooth surface; genuine patina is layered with red cuprite under green malachite and often pitting and bronze disease. Weight and a dull ring when tapped help; X-ray shows the ancient core pins.
Cite this article
Stratum Study. "Bronze Osiris figure" (Artifact type). Stratum Study pack 2026.09, as of 2026-09-21. https://stratum.black/study/types/bronze-osiris-figure. Accessed 2026-09-21.
@misc{stratum-bronze-osiris-figure,
title = {Bronze Osiris figure},
author = {{Stratum Study}},
howpublished = {\url{https://stratum.black/study/types/bronze-osiris-figure}},
year = {2026},
note = {Artifact type article, Stratum Study pack 2026.09, as of 2026-09-21; sources: stratum, commons. Accessed 2026-09-21.}
} Citations carry the pack version and the article's as-of date so they resolve to the same text later. The facts themselves belong to the sources listed below; cite those for the science.