Clay tile from the temple of Eridu, donated around 2040 BC. Dedicated by Amar-Sin, king of the Third Dynasty of Ur. Studied for a research project in 1983.

Beautiful beads of orange-patterned carnelian, beige-banded agate, and pleasantly contrasting blue lapis lazuli. Similar to the jewelry of the Sumerian queen Puabi. Early Dynastic Period of Mesopotamia, around 2500 BC.

Nice small biconical vessel from the Eastern Mediterranean. Dating to the Late Bronze Age.

Double-edged blade of a long dagger from the Luristan region in Ancient Iran. From the Sasson family collection.

Nicely decorated axe head originating from the Luristan region. From the Sasson family collection.

Axe head originating from the Luristan region during Early Bronze Age. The piece is decorated with eyes to form a stylized bird's head.

Double-edged blade of a small spear or large arrow from Bronze or Early Iron Age. With a nice green patina.

Double-edged blade of a short dagger from the Luristan region in Ancient Iran. An early type from the Middle Bronze Age.

So-called Bilbil jugs of the Base Ring I ware. A testament to the opium trade of the late Bronze Age.

Double-edged blade of a dagger from the Luristan region in Ancient Iran. An early type from the Middle Bronze Age.

Double-edged blade of a short dagger from the Luristan region in Ancient Iran. An early type from the Middle Bronze Age.

Bronze axe originating from the Luristan region during Bronze Age. From the Sasson family collection.

Double-edged blade of a spear from Bronze or Early Iron Age. With a nice green patina.

Double-edged blade of a dagger from the Luristan region in Ancient Iran.

The perfectly preserved seal is from the Jemdet Nasr period. The stamp shows two goats.

Double-edged blade of a lance from Bronze Age. With a nice green patina.

Double-edged blade of a short dagger from the Luristan region in Ancient Iran. An early type from the Middle Bronze Age.

The hemispherical pottery bowls of this type were a successful export good of Late Bronze Age Cyprus. They are nicely decorated with bands of hatch-patterns.

High quality chlorite vessel from the Kerman province in Iran. From the 3rd millennium BC.

The highly abstract figure was made in northern Mesopotamia, probably in northern Iraq. A wonderful piece from the late 4th Millennium BC.

The beige seal shows three groups of stylized fish. Am artefact from Bronze Age Mesopotamia or south-west Iran.

The cylindrical seal from Mesopotamia shows domesticated animals fighting with lions and a bull-man. An impressively large piece for a cylinder seal. Old Akkadian, around 2300 BC.

Double-edged blade of a lance from Bronze Age. With a nice green patina.

Double-edged blade of a lance from Bronze Age. With a nice green patina.

Alabaster vessel with ram's head as a spout for the offering. A perfectly preserved piece from the 3rd Millennium BC.

Seal of reddish brown stone from the Middle Bronze Age of Mesopotamia. It shows three standing deities, one with the shepherd's staff of Amurru.

The seal shows several gods in front of the god of the heaven. The piece comes from Anatolia or northern Syria, quite possibly from Cappadocia.

The Mesopotamian seal shows a geometrical arrangement of schematic turtles or tadpoles. Around 3000 BC.

Rare fragment of a small Sumerian votive figurine dating to the 3rd Millenium BC. From the Erlenmeyer collection.

Heavy head of a mace with a globular shape. Nicely polished stone. From the Early Bronze Age of Western Asia.

Heavy head of a mace with an ovoid shape. Wonderful veined rock. From Early Bronze Age of the Near East.

Very nicely engraved seal made of haematite. The orderly scene shows two gods of the Babylonians.

Clay tablet with cuneiform administrative or legal text. Dating to the reign of Ammi-Ditana, a king of the first dynasty of Babylon.

Interesting small clay tablet with cuneiform legal text from Old Babylonian times.

Unusually big shield idol of the Kusura type dating to the Anatolian Bronze Age, 3rd millenium BC. Made of beautiful white marble.