Hittite Stone Bead Necklace String

Modelled as a kneeling priest wearing a knee-length kilt, the long hair combed back from the face and extending down the back, arms bent, and fists clenched, resting on the belt, recessed to the underside. 359 grams, 83 mm



Ex London family collection, since the 1970s. Accompanied by a report of metallurgical analytical results, written by Metallurgist Dr Brian Gilmour of the Research Laboratory for Archaeology and the History of Art, University of Oxford. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.13313-258236.

This powerful figure was probably lost-wax cast in arsenical copper, as were many Near Eastern bronzes of the 3rd millennium. He is muscular with broad shoulders, a strong chest and a well-toned, rippling abdomen. The pleated long garment is typical of the Mesopotamian men. Very interesting is his praying gesture, which is typical of the statuette of Ur culture.

Flat-based bowl, inscribed in spiral from the bottom inner wall to the rim with Aramaic text. 360 grams, 17.6 cm



Private collection, 1980s. UK private collection before 2000. Acquired on the UK art market. Private collection, London, UK

Aramaic incantation bowls are particular to the Sasanian period and have been found in the regions of modern Iraq. These simple ceramic bowls, also known as magic bowls, each contain 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 childbirth, illness and evil spirits.

Bifacial stamp seal, accompanied by an old scholarly note, typed and signed by W.G. Lambert, late Professor of Assyriology, University of Birmingham, 1970-1993, which states: 'Bifacial Stamp Seal of Green Stone, 18.5 x 8mm. The one side shows a spiralling device with notched curving arms. The other side shows an eight-pointed star with filling motifs between the arms. The seal is pierced at the widest point. This comes from west-central Asia and dates to c. 2500-2000 B.C. The side with the spiral was original with the seal, but the design on the other side may be a little later, perhaps c. 2000-1000 B.C. Similar designs to the spiral have been found on seals coming from the southeast Karakum desert.' 4.78 grams, 18 mm



Acquired in the late 1980s-early 1990s. Ex property of a West London businessman. Academically researched and catalogued by the late Professor Lambert in the early 1990s. Accompanied by a copy of a scholarly report, numbered 2009, typed and signed by Professor Wilfrid George Lambert.