Description:

**First Time At Auction**

Central Asia, Mesopotamia, Ubaid to Uruk period, ca. 4500 to 3700 BCE. A finely preserved stamp seal carved from a lustrous black steatite stone. The circular face is engraved with a standing ibex, the massive horns curling over the back and a beard on the chin, which indicate a male. The stone is perforated longitudinally for suspension on a cord or chain, and the ibex buck may have symbolized a man of strength and virility. During the Ubaid period stone and pottery seal-like tokens and pendants, such as this, were often carved with symbolic human or animal motifs. Size: 1.5" L x 0.25" W (3.8 cm x 0.6 cm)

Provenance: private New York, New York, USA collection; ex-T.W. collection, acquired from a gentleman's lifetime collection, Charlotte, North Carolina, acquired in the 1980s - 1990s

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#176548

  • Condition: Surface chips and abrasions. Softening to finer details. Wear to rim around suspension holes. Modern putty impression included.

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February 16, 2023 8:00 AM MST
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $299 $25
$300 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $20,000