Loading, please wait...
LOT 1162
Aramaic Terracotta Bowl with Magical Incantation
4TH-8TH CENTURY A.D.
6 1/4 in. (393 grams, 16 cm).
With conical body, the inner face bearing the remains of concentric rings of inked magical Aramaic text, cracked. [No Reserve]
ProvenanceFrom a collection acquired on the UK art market from various auction houses and collections mostly before 2000.
From an important Cambridgeshire estate; thence by descent.
Cf. The Israel Museum, Jerusalem, accession number: 80.001.0001.
FootnotesAramaic incantation bowls are particular to the Sassanian period and have been found in regions of modern Iraq. These simple ceramic bowls, also known as 'magic bowls': each contains an Aramaic inscription, written in ink, which spirals from the centre. The bowls seem to have played an important part in domestic life. For example, during excavation in Nippur in 1889, one or more incantation bowls were found in each house together with domestic artefacts, most often in doorways or under floorboards in the corner of rooms. The bowls are predominantly apotropaic, and the inscriptions tend to protect their owners from misfortunes such as those faced in childbirth, from illness and from evil spirits.
CONDITIONTimeLine Auctions follows a vetting process to ensure the authenticity and legality of all items, reinforcing our commitment to integrity and responsible trading. Each antiquity, antique, and coin lot undergoes thorough examination by a vetting committee of at least ten external specialists, professional trade association members, scientists, and archaeologists: Our Vetting Process
AUCTIONS:
TimeLine is a leading auction house specialising in antiquities, ancient art, collectables, natural history, coins, medals, and books. Our auctions offer museums, collectors, historians, and enthusiasts the opportunity to acquire unique and historically significant pieces.
-
Aramaic Terracotta Bowl with Magical Incantation
4th-8th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £208
With conical body, the inner face bearing the remains of concentric rings of inked magical Aramaic text, cracked. 393 grams, 16 cm
From a collection acquired on the UK art market from various auction houses and collections mostly before 2000. From an important Cambridgeshire estate; thence by descent.
Aramaic incantation bowls are particular to the Sassanian period and have been found in regions of modern Iraq. These simple ceramic bowls, also known as 'magic bowls': each contains an Aramaic inscription, written in ink, which spirals from the centre. The bowls seem to have played an important part in domestic life. For example, during excavation in Nippur in 1889, one or more incantation bowls were found in each house together with domestic artefacts, most often in doorways or under floorboards in the corner of rooms. The bowls are predominantly apotropaic, and the inscriptions tend to protect their owners from misfortunes such as those faced in childbirth, from illness and from evil spirits. -
Mesopotamian Carnelian Cylinder Seal with Winged Horse
Circa 7th century B.C.Estimate: £500 - 700 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £250
With intaglio frieze depicting a winged horse with one foreleg raised facing two smaller beasts among trees; supplied with a museum-quality impression. 1.81 grams, 16 mm
Ex London, UK, collection, before 1988. Accompanied by a previous catalogue information slip. -
Western Asiatic Carnelian and Other Bead Collection
1st millennium B.C. and laterSold for (Inc. bp): £156
Comprising a quantity of mixed carnelian, agate, and other beads. 105 grams total, 3-12 mm
UK gallery, early 2000s.
Carnelian beads were diffused in west from the Iranian and other Western Asiatic countries. During Antiquity, the beads were transported from their places of manufacture in India and Persian Empires, and archaeological and literary sources provide evidence of the high prosperity of the Red Sea ports as well as of their trade contact with the Indo-Pacific regions.
