Description:

Ancient Near East Mesopotamia, Sumerian, ca. 2500 to 2200 BCE. A cute animal amulet carved from a creamy white stone, with a smooth surface, perhaps due to touch – from someone holding or rubbing the piece as a protective amulet. The legs folded under the body are hoofed indicating ungulate creature might be a cow - the broad snout and elongated head suggests as much. The hole drilled through the center enabled the piece to be worn as a pendant, and the recessed eyes may have once been infilled with contrasting stone or shell. Size: 1.3" L x 0.5" W x 1" H (3.3 cm x 1.3 cm x 2.5 cm)

The cow was an important animal for ancient Mesopotamian cultures, symbolizing Ninsumun or Ninsun - whose name means "lady of the wild cows" - and according to Sumerian mythology is a goddess believed for being the mother of the celebrated hero Gilgamesh, as well as the tutelary goddess of Gudea of Lagash. It is also possible that the sculpture represents the pregnant cow known as Geme-Sin belonging to Nanna/Suen/Sin - The Mesopotamian moon god. The ancient text entitled "A Cow of Sin" tells of how Sin eased Geme-Sin's birthing pains, and the incantation ends this way, "may this woman give birth as easily as Geme-Sin." Furthermore, the moon god, whose primary symbol was actually a bull, was also associated with fertility, since the timing of its transformations was related to menstrual cycles, and by extension the cow.

Provenance: East Coast collection, New York Gallery, New York City, New York, USA, acquired before 2010

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#175762

  • Condition: Light mineral deposits in recessed eyes. Minor surface wear commensurate with age, surface nicks otherwise intact and very good.

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January 19, 2023 8:00 AM MST
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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