Mesopotamian libation bowl
€2,900
available
Object number
AR3239
| Object: |
Mesopotamian libation bowl
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| Material: |
Alabaster.
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| Period: |
3rd Millennium BC. Bronze Age. |
| Description: |
A mesopotamian tray for offerings. The flat bowl is lozenge shaped with one corner significantly elongated and curved to one side. This corner is modelled as a ram's head. It has plastically modelled horns and ears and drilled eyes and nose. The animal's mouth serves as a spout for libation.
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| Dimensions: |
11cm long, 6cm wide, 2cm high.
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| Condition: |
Perfectly preserved. Bowl fully intact. Surface with interesting sintered patina. The eyes were probably once inlaid.
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| Provenance: |
Acquired by us in 2021 on the british art market. Previously in a London based collection. Acquired 25 April 2012 at Bonhams, lot 149. Previously in an australian family collection. Acquired in the mid 1950ies on a travel to the Middle East.
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| References: |
There is an example of a mesopotamian offering vessel in the Museum of Bagdad in Iraq, however of very different shape. It is a jug that shares the function and the animal decorations with the piece described here. Made during the Jemdet Nasr period in the 3rd Millennium BC. A depiction can be found in L. Woolley, Mesopotamien und Vorderasien (1975), p. 41, fig. 13.
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| Authenticity: |
We unconditionally guarantee the authenticity of every artefact, all items are subject to our lifetime return policy on authenticity.
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