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LOT 1567
Babylonian Cuneiform Tablet Section
2ND MILLENNIUM B.C.
2 in. (51.8 grams, 50 mm).
Fragment of a pillow-shaped tablet with impressed cuneiform text to the outer surface. [No Reserve]
ProvenanceFrom an old English collection formed before 1990.
Acquired from Alan Cherry, Bournemouth, Dorset.
Property of an Essex, UK, gentleman.
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AUCTIONS:
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Sumerian Green Stone Eye Idol
3rd millennium B.C.Estimate: £2,500 - 3,500 (‡+bp*)
Opening Bid: £1,250
Carved in the round as a rectangular block with a slit to the upper edge, vertical spike with two annulet 'eyes'; pierced for suspension. 13.2 grams, 41 mm
with M. Petropoulos, Zurich, early 1990s. with Rhéa gallery. Private collection, acquired in 1999. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12897-241753.
Idols were an important part of religious life in South Arabia and across the ancient Near East. They were made as images of gods, spirits, or protective powers, and helped people feel a closer connection to the divine. These figures might be placed in temples, shrines, or even in the home, where they could have a protective or devotional role. Their shapes were often simple and stylised, with more importance placed on their meaning than on making them look fully realistic. -
Western Asiatic Decorated Black Stone Bead
1st millennium B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £13
Lozengiform type with dense, grooved geometric design. 2.03 grams, 19 mm
From the private collection of a European gentleman (1942-2024), formed since the 1970s. -
Kassite Agate Eye Bead with Cuneiform Inscription for King Kurigalzu II in Gold Mount
1400-1000 B.C.Estimate: £80,000 - 100,000 (‡+bp*)
Opening Bid: £40,000
Polished cabochon in a gold frame with radiating bosses, integral loop; reverse with four incised columns of cuneiform text naming Kurigalzu II. 18.30 grams, 42 mm
Private collection, Mrs M.V., circa 1980s. Kept in Switzerland since the late 1980s. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.13202-249238.
The cuneiform inscription names Kurigalzu II (c.1332-1308 B.C.), 'strong man, King of Babylon, son of Burnaburiaš.' Kurigalzu II was one of the most powerful Kassite rulers, known for his military campaigns and extensive building projects, including the foundation of the city of Dur-Kurigalzu. Inscribed Kassite agate eye beads are rare and are generally understood to have served amuletic or votive functions, combining royal titulary with protective symbolism.
