Description:

Near East, Iran / Persia, ca. 8th to 12th century CE. A long, smooth, silver bowl for libations, in the shape of a lozenge, with a curved base and steep walls. A very slight rolled rim is around the top, but the bowl is otherwise unadorned. It is easy to imagine it when first made, polished to a high sheen. The Persian love of silver and gold was famous throughout the ancient and medieval world. Plato wrote of how the acquisition of gold and silver was considered a virtue while Alcibiades, another Athenian, wrote of the Persians' enormous wealth in gold and silver. In a society where flaunting wealth was valuable, this bowl would have been a prized possession, demonstrating the high social status of its wearer. It probably ended its functional life as a grave good, placed into a tomb alongside other treasures. Size: 9.4" L x 4.7" W x 2.25" H (23.9 cm x 11.9 cm x 5.7 cm); 393.7 grams

Provenance: private California, USA collection

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#135186

  • Condition: One end has a dent and a tear in the metal as shown in the photographs. Dark patina on surface with some encrustations.

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July 5, 2018 7:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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$300 $999 $50
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$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,000
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
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