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LOT 0217
'Professor Erlenmeyer’s First Cylinder Seal' A Neo-Sumerian Haematite Seal of Abbamu, Scribe, Son of Bazige
MESOPOTAMIA, THIRD DYNASTY OF UR, CIRCA 2100-2000 B.C.
1 in. (18 grams, 27 mm).
Finely carved in haematite with a formal presentation scene: a goddess sitting enthroned upon a dais, clad in a flounced robe and a multiple-horned tiara, her arm extended in reception; before her a similarly attired interceding goddess approaching, leading a robed worshipper into the divine presence; lunar crescent in the field, with three-line inscription within a panel: 'Abbamu, scribe, son of Bazige'; supplied with a museum-quality impression.
ProvenanceFrom the private collection of Professor Dr. Hans (1900-1967) and Mrs Erlenmeyer, Switzerland.
The Erlenmeyer Foundation, Basel Switzerland, since 1981.
with Sotheby's, Western Asiatic Cylinder Seals and Antiquities from the Erlenmeyer Collection (Part 1), London, 9 July 1992, no.109.
Private collection, London, UK.
Accompanied by copies of the relevant Sotheby's catalogue pages.
This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.13283-253486.
Prof Hans Erlenmeyer was a noted Swiss collector from 1943 to circa 1960; he and his wife established the Erlenmeyer Foundation.
This seal is of particular note as the first cylinder seal given to Professor and Mrs Erlenmeyer. Its imagery belongs to the religious and political language of the Third Dynasty of Ur, when order was restored after the collapse of the Akkadian dynasty. In the eyes of the ancient Mesopotamians, that earlier collapse could be understood as a sign of divine displeasure; under Ur III, renewed piety and correct devotion assumed central importance. The presentation scene seen here reflects that world precisely: the seal owner is led by a minor goddess, or Lamma, into the presence of his personal deity. Seals of this class are valued for their exacting workmanship and disciplined clarity of design. Though they lack the freer energy of the Akkadian age, they possess instead a ceremonial gravity and devotional precision that are wholly characteristic of Neo-Sumerian art.
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LOT 0217
'Professor Erlenmeyer’s First Cylinder Seal' A Neo-Sumerian Haematite Seal of Abbamu, Scribe, Son of Bazige
Sold for (Inc. bp): £8,450
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Large Mamluk Silver Ring with Star of David
Circa 13th-14th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £546
Wide, decorated hoop with a raised rosette at the base, large flower-shaped bezel with supporting bars, scroll motifs forming the border and a six-pointed star at the centre. 41.91 grams, 34.38 mm overall, 20.54 x 17.81 mm internal diameter (approximate size British R, USA 8 1/2, Europe 18 3/4, Japan 18)
Ex German art market, 2000s. Acquired from an EU collector living in London. From the collection of a Surrey, UK, gentleman. -
Mesopotamian Bronze Socketted Axehead
3rd millennium B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £143
Comprising a tubular socket and a slender triangular blade. 320 grams, 11.7 cm
Ex Abelita family collection, 1980s-2000s.
Similar axe is represented in hands of Akkadian warriors on the Stele of Victory of Naram-Sim, at the Louvre, dated at 23rd century B.C. It was a typology used by Sumerian and Akkadian warriors. -
Assyrian Double-Faced Pendant Depicting Pazuzu, King of Wind Demons
8th-6th century B.C.Estimate: £500 - 700 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £250
Carved in the round with flared base, addorsed faces of the demon with suspension lug above. 50.24 grams, 44 mm
UK private collection before 2000. Acquired on the UK art market. Private collection, London, UK.
The figure described as the 'King of Wind Demons' is commonly identified with Pazuzu, a well-known demon in Assyrian and Babylonian tradition. Despite his fearsome appearance, often shown with a canine face, bulging eyes, a scaly body, and wings, Pazuzu was not simply a malevolent force. He was understood as the ruler of the winds, particularly the hot, destructive winds from the desert, but was also invoked for protection. Most notably, Pazuzu was believed to ward off the demon Lamashtu, who threatened pregnant women and infants. Small amulets and pendants bearing his image were therefore worn or placed in domestic spaces as protective devices. Objects such as this pendant belong to that world of everyday belief, where the boundary between danger and protection was fluid, and where even a demon could serve an apotropaic role.
