Description:

Central Asia, Bactria (Bactria-Margiana / BMAC), ca. 3rd to 2nd millennium BCE. A fascinating alabaster bowl, sanded to be thin enough that the sides are nearlu translucent in places, with light shining through them. The bowl has an interesting form, with a small, flat base and a shallow U-shaped body. Alabaster, a light-colored, calcareous stone from the Iranian Plateau, has strong connections in ancient western and central Asia to religion and specifically the gods. For example, in the site of Kultepe-Kanes, a huge burial mound, there were many disc-shaped alabaster idols, naked alabaster goddesses, and lion figures. We also know that alabaster was a precious material, widely traded in the region from the 4th millennium BCE onward. A dish like this one was made to be placed into a tomb to hold offerings. Size: 4.25" L x 10.55" W x 5.35" H (10.8 cm x 26.8 cm x 13.6 cm)

Provenance: private Hawaii, USA collection; ex-private Hirsch collection, Germany

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#146141

  • Condition: Small losses from the edges. Deep deposits on surface, especially on the interior, with light scratching, chips, nicks, and weathering commensurate with age. Overall intact and with a rich patina.

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October 31, 2019 8:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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