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LOT 0253

Mitanni Cylinder Seal with Animals in Gold Mounting

CIRCA 1500-1300 B.C.

1 1/2 in. (16.40 grams, 39.56 mm overall, 23.03 x 31.30 mm internal diameter (approximate size British Z+6, USA 15 1/4, Europe 36.34, Japan 34)).

Chalcedony cylinder seal with ancient bronze ring depicting a deer, a sphinx, an ibex, a scorpion and two profile male figures; set into a later gold mounting.

Provenance

Ex Manfred Schwarz, acquired on the German art market before 1970.
Private collection, England.

This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.13144-249540.

Literature

Cf. Teissier, B.: Ancient Near Eastern Cylinder Seals, Berkeley, 1984, items 588-9.

CONDITION

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LOT 0253

Mitanni Cylinder Seal with Animals in Gold Mounting

Sold for (Inc. bp): £4,680

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Early Dynastic Terracotta Administrative Cuneiform Tablet Recording Livestock and their Owners

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Lot 0278

Early Dynastic Terracotta Administrative Cuneiform Tablet Recording Livestock and their Owners
IIIb, 2400-2340 B.C.

Estimate: £18,000 - 24,000 (‡+bp*)

Opening Bid: £10,000

Pillow-shaped tablet with dense cuneiform text to two broad faces and one edge, concerning the listing of 146 sheep and their owners or shepherds:

Column I	Column II	Column III
5 sheep, Pirigni, Kor 2? 6 male sheep, Ur-ur of Umma 3 sheep, Zag-mu, ki ni mu zu 5 sheep, x x-gi 4 male sheep …	Ur-Ishkur, herder of Abdu 4 sheep, Urgu (of) E-RU 2 … , herder IL, scribe 3 Gimni, herder chief galla-official 5 male sheep, Ur-lu, .. 2 sheep Lu-ra, herder…	…, herder 2 male sheep, Akadu, son of Lugal-sanga 2 Shesh-zimu 3 Zagmu, Akadu 2 Ekalsi 1 Gimdu, son of Ekal 2 Mashda 1 … Guzi… 2 …kam … NA
Column IV	Reverse Column V	Column VI
2 Ur-…dua 6 Zagmu, herder of Mesanne 1 Urtul 3 GISH.MI, herder of Ilum-su?ni 4 Lugal-shalasu Adda, singer? 5 Almu 2 Ur-Ezida IGI MI ZI SI	3 Lueshla 2 Ur-… NE-RA 8 Azuzu 2 Adda, captain 1 En…du, nuesh-officiant 3 Sheshpadda, overseer 2 … ki-bi … … 6 E…	1 Ur… … 1 Ur … 1 … 3 Dingir-urmu 1 Pirigni Da… 1 Ur-Ninshaza, wife of U-u 4 Lugallu, herder of Lugalla…, majordomo 5 …igi-en … 1 Lugal-E…nisi
Column VII	Column VIII	Total
4 E-gish MI bi?, .., farmer 1 Ur-dingir, …si-TExESZ3 1 … 1 Lugal-nuduga 1 Aba-Enlil 1 Lugal … 2 Urmes 1 Urdam 1 Akadu, Adda… 1 U-u, … Umunene	2 … -niE-u? (space)	Its total: 146 sheep, … Pirigni (is) kush-official.

202 grams, 78 mm

with Laemmle Gallery, San Vicente Boulevard, Los Angeles, USA. Acquired from the above in the early 1970s. with Bonhams, London, 13 April 2011, no.133. Private central European collection. Accompanied by copies of the relevant Bonhams catalogue pages. Accompanied by a copy of the translation for this tablet. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12121-218147.

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Lot 1426

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Mesopotamian Cuneiform Tablet Fragment
2nd millennium B.C.

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Pillow-shaped with bands of cuneiform text on both faces and on the three edges, one edge with a seal impression; repaired. 173 grams, 10.3 cm

Specialised 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.

Lot Details
Lot 1280

6

Luristan Bronze Spearhead Blade
14th-10th century B.C.

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With rounded shoulders and square-sectioned mid-rib running to the blade tip; short tang with fastening hole. 245 grams, 40 cm

Ex Abelita family collection, 1980s-2000s.

The spearhead belongs to the type VI spearhead of the Khorasani classification. It is characterised by a long blade and short tang, slightly rounded shoulders and pronounced midrib. Similar weapons were excavated by Prof. Negahban in the royal cemetery of Marlik.

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