Luristan Bronze Cloak Pin

Irregular fragment with vertical columns of cuneiform text. 34.5 grams, 48 mm



Acquired from Ancient Art, London, UK, in 1985. From the personal collection of a West London, UK, gentleman. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.12316-215186

An unglazed terracotta trumpet-shaped bowl with the faint remains of Aramaic-script to the inside; accompanied by a smaller bowl with three concentric rings of recently overpainted pseudo Aramaic-script to the upper face. 277 grams total, 9.5-12.4 cm



Acquired on the German art market, 1989-1995. with The Museum Gallery, 19 Bury Place, London, WC1, UK, 1998-2003. Property of a London based academic, 2003-present.

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 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 those faced in child-birth, illness and evil spirits.

With bearded male between winged horses; accompanied by an old scholarly note, written and signed by W.G. Lambert, late Professor of Assyriology, University of Birmingham, 1970-1993, which states: 'Cylinder Seal of Amethist [sic] 24 x 11mm. Standing god between two winged horses. North Mesopotamia or West Iran. c.900-600 B.C. Condition good.' 6.57 grams, 23 mm



Ex Oasis Ancient Art, London, W1, before 1990. Academically researched and catalogued by the late Professor Lambert in the 1990s. From a collection acquired from various auction houses in the UK. From the estate of Mr R.W., a private Wiltshire, UK, collector; thence by descent. Accompanied by an original handwritten and signed scholarly note by the late W.G. Lambert, Professor of Assyriology at the University of Birmingham, 1970-1993.