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LOT 0209
Mesopotamian Amethyst Cylinder Seal with Bearded God
CIRCA 900-600 B.C.
1 in. (6.57 grams, 23 mm).
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.' [No Reserve]
ProvenanceEx 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.
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Proto-Sumerian Alabaster Vessel
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Opening Bid: £1,600
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Syro-Hittite Silver Amulet
Circa 14th century B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £2,080
Amulet of a deity in human form wearing a pointed cap and pleated kilt, hands placed on the chest supporting coiled serpent (or staff), ledge to rear; possibly Tarḫunna, the Hittite weather-god. 3.9 grams, 29 mm
From the Bavarian private collection of F.U., Germany, before 2000. Acquired Gorny & Mosch, 17 June 2015, lot 246. Property of a French collector. Accompanied by a copy of the relevant Gorny & Mosch catalogue pages. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12123-214885.
The proper name of the weather god is not known, as it was expressed with an ideogram in the texts; his name was probably Tarhunna, from Hattic Taru. Among the Luwians he was called Datta and Tarhunt. The Hittite province of Tarhuntassa, south of the heartland of the Hittite Empire, took its name from the latter: 'land of the weather god'.
