Syrian Steatite Cylinder Seal with Beasts

With eight lines of qatabanic Sabaean text regarding an unknown temple of the kingdom of Qatabān, dedicated to the gods Amm dhu-Raymatum and Warafum: '1 Dlwn -b-Gbln ʿbd (s¹q)ny[ ʿm] 2 ḏ-Rymtm w-Wrfm (s¹)qnyt-ḏ= 3 hbm ḥg tkrb-s¹mn gwm/ 4 bʿw mhrt Nbṭ m w-(ytʿs¹) 5 w-ʾbl-s¹ ḥg t(k)rb-s¹mn l-m= 6 tʿn-s¹ b-s¹wt brṯ n rṯd D..= 7 wn ʿm w-Wrfm ʾḏn-s¹ w-(mqm)-s¹ 8 w-qny-s¹ b-ḥg ʿm w-ʾnby' 'Dalwān ... offered [to ʿAmm] (2) dhu-Raymatum and Warafum the offering of (3) bronze according to the promise he made to them ... (4) ... mares of Nabaṭ um ... (5) his camel in accordance with the promise he had made to them to be (6) protected in this expedition. Dalwān has confided (7) to ʿAmm and Warafum his faculties, his abilities (8) and his possessions, with the approval of Amm and Anbī'; mounted on a custom-made stand. 1.01 kg total, 23.7 cm high including stand



Ex London W1 collector; acquired between 1970 and the late 1990s.

Carved as a seated human figure, body with rows of overlapping tufts of fur, set with a bald head carved from cream stone with semi-naturalistic detailing to the face; a separate wig with wavy hair, and separately modelled hands. 540 grams total, 95 mm high



Pallas Gallery (?), early 2000s. Acquired by the current owner from the above. Private collection of a North American lady. Accompanied by a copy of an invoice. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.13372-256950.

This wonderful composite stone sculpture of a seated female figure with finely carved features is typical of the area of Bactria-Margiana, from the late 3rd to early 2nd millennium B.C. Among the few three-dimensional images assigned to this period in Central Asia are a group of stone female figures seated or squatting on a platform and wearing a pattern-decorated robe, perhaps imitating sheep's fleece.

Compartmented seal shaped as a horned quadruped with a square body and curving horns, a loop on the reverse. 9.04 grams, 34 mm



Ex the private collection of the late Mr S.M., London, UK, acquired 1970-2000s, thence by descent. Accompanied by a previously illustrated catalogue card with provenance.