Loading, please wait...
LOT 1167
Luristan Bull Statuette
13TH-7TH CENTURY B.C.
1 5/8 in. (24.2 grams, 41 mm).
Standing upright with an elongated body, four short legs with the pairs of legs connected by a horizontal bar; small bosses decorating the body; suspension loop to the back. [No Reserve]
ProvenanceCollected from 1969-1999.
From the collection of the late Mr S.M., London, UK.
Accompanied by a copy of a previous catalogue information card.
Cf. for a similar horse bit in shape, Przeworski, S., ‘Luristan Bronzes in the collection of Mr. Frank Savery, British Consul-General at Warsaw’ in Archaeologia or Miscellanous Tracts relating to Antiquity, London, vol.LXXXVIII, 1940, pp.229-269, pl.LXXV, and for similar pendants with other animals pl.LXXVII.
FootnotesSuch a figurine might have been worn as part of a necklace or bracelet for decorative purposes. Due to the tribal and sometimes nomadic nature of many of these populations, many Luristan bronzes were not of great size. Statuettes of local fauna have been largely recovered from Luristan burials.
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.
-
Western Asiatic Mixed Bead Necklace String
1st millennium B.C. and laterSold for (Inc. bp): £39
Graduated group of oblate, cuboid, annular and other beads with barrel-shaped centrepiece. 46 grams total, 51 cm long
Acquired 1980-2015. Ex Abelita family collection. -
Sassanian Haematite Seal
4th-7th century A.D.Estimate: £200 - 300 (‡+bp*)
Opening Bid: £100
Plano-convex stamp seal with design of two scorpions placed tête-bêche; supplied with a museum-quality impression. 8 grams, 17 mm
Acquired in Europe in 1997. European private collection. -
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.
