Description:

Ancient Near East, Anatolia, Northern Syria, Tell Brak, Late Uruk to Akkadian Period, ca. 3300 to 2500 BCE. A finely hand-carved idol comprised of a thin slab of stone and incised lines. The stone is a creamy white, probably alabaster, with shimmering deposits and a pleasantly smooth surface. The idol's form is a rectangular chest area with a pair of rounded "eyes" surmounted at the top with incised diamond shapes and thin arching lines like brows. These "eye idols" were named in the 1930s by the British archaeologist Max Mallowan when excavating at the Tell Brak mound, where he found hundreds of small anthropomorphic items of similar form to this one - a simplified body topped by huge discs for eyes and no other discernible facial features. He named the place where he found them "The Temple of the Eyes." Archaeologists believe that these idols were placed there as offerings, as wide eyes meant religious attentiveness and devotion to the gods in Mesopotamian. Lucite stand for photography purposes only. Size: 1.187" W x 1.375" H (3 cm x 3.5 cm)

Provenance: ex-estate of Eldert Bontekoe, Pegasi Numismatics, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA acquired before 2000

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#158125

  • Condition: Minor abrasion to eye area. Otherwise intact and overall great condition with mineral deposits and a smooth surface.

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December 3, 2020 8:00 AM MST
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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