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LOT 0242
Mesopotamian Clay Bulla with Clay Tokens
URUK, 3RD MILLENNIUM B.C.
2 in. (74 grams, 50 mm).
Spherical, undecorated bulla envelope containing clay tokens. [No Reserve]
ProvenanceSpecialised collection of cuneiform texts, the property of a London gentleman and housed in London before 1992.
Thence by descent to family members.
Examined by Professor Wilfrid George Lambert FBA (1926-2011), historian, archaeologist, and specialist in Assyriology and Near Eastern archaeology, in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
This small collection is exceptional for the variety of types, including some very rare and well-preserved examples.
Accompanied by a previous cataloguing slip.
Small globular and hollow clay balls are defined as 'bulla'. They are also known as ‘bulla-envelopes', some of which are plain and some displaying epigraphic, zoomorphic and/or figural decoration, impressed by either cylinder or stamp seals. Bullae first emerged in Mesopotamia, and their earliest occurrence can be traced to circa 8000 B.C. Most known decorated bullae come from the Uruk area and offer an insight into its culture.
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:
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Western Asiatic Cream Stone Cylinder Seal with Running Ibexes
2nd-1st millennium B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £221
Frieze depicting running ibexes in profile; supplied with a museum-quality impression. 6.33 grams, 18.82 mm
From the private collection of a European gentleman (1942-2024), formed since the 1970s. -
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Western Asiatic Black Terracotta Cuneiform Tablet
2nd millennium B.C.Estimate: £1,200 - 1,700 (‡+bp*)
Opening Bid: £600
Pillow-shaped with columnar ribbing to the broad faces, dense cuneiform text in the columns. 57.2 grams, 63 mm
Private collection of Mr K., Maryland, USA. Private collection, Switzerland, acquired in 2000. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12893-241757.
The 2nd millennium B.C. (about 2000–1000 B.C.) was an important period in the ancient Near East, when major civilisations such as the Babylonians, Assyrians, Hittites, and Egyptians grew in power and influence. It was a time of progress in trade, government, law, and writing, helping us understand how people lived and worked. Cuneiform tablets, which are small clay tablets written in one of the earliest writing systems, were widely used to record business, legal matters, letters, and stories. When these tablets are found outside their place of origin, it can show connections through trade, travel, or official communication, offering insight into both the ancient world and how such objects later moved through collections. -
Large Luristan Terracotta Storage Vessel
1st millennium B.C.Estimate: £100 - 140 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £50
Squat body with funicular neck and rolled rim, the upper part of the neck with two piercings. 900 grams, 21.5 cm
Acquired on the UK art market before 2000. Property of an Essex, UK, gentleman.
