Description:

Ancient Near East, Late Babylonian, ca. 800 BCE. A smooth, red carnelian stone weight in the form of a seated duck with a long neck turned and folded over its back. Duck weights were used to check the accuracy of payment when exchanging valuables - land, agricultural goods, paying taxes, etc. Weights like this one would be placed on pan scales alongside commodities. Duck weights correspond to local standardized units, known as talents and mina. They were made to be both functional and aesthetically appealing, suggesting that the people who used them valued beauty in everyday objects. Size: 1" W (2.5 cm)

Provenance: private Orange County, California, USA collection acquired before 2000

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#122330

  • Condition: Lucite for display purposes only. Surface has light scratching and wear from age, but the form is very clear.

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December 5, 2017 7:00 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 $2,000
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $25,000