Western Asiatic Bronze Bowl with Dancing Figures

Plano-convex in profile with intaglio reclining zebu facing left; supplied with a museum-quality impression. 16.1 grams, 25 mm



Acquired in Paris, France, in the early 1990s. From the collection of G.M.R.H., London, UK. This lot has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database, and is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

Pillow-shaped tablet fragment with script to one face; accompanied by an old scholarly note, typed and signed by W.G. Lambert, late Professor of Assyriology, University of Birmingham, 1970-1993, which states: 'Portion of Clay tablet with Pictographic Script. 57x48 mm. This is an oblong tablet with rounded side and corners. Most of the obverse is preserved, only the top and left edges are missing. Most of the surface of the reverse is lost, but it was not written so the loss is not important. The obverse is divided into three columns, the first being a double column: each compartment has a smaller one beside it with figures alone. This is an administrative document from some town in Sumer, dating to the Jemdet Nasr period, c. 3000 B.C. Not everything can yet be understood, but some things are clear. The purpose of the double column is not known, but in the second column there are two immediately clear lines: 30 sheep; 1 (or:60) goat(s) The first two columns and the beginning of the third consist of compartments with signs for things and numbers, but the rest of the last column has more complex writing devices, and must be some kind of different statement. such as the name of the official in charge of the things listed, or the name of the office dealing with these matters, or also the name of the place where this listing was made. This tablet has been conserved by firing, and is in good condition.' 39 grams, 58 mm



Ex private collection of Mr S H; thence by descent,1980-1990. Accompanied by an original typed and signed scholarly note by the late W.G. Lambert, Professor of Assyriology at the University of Birmingham, 1970-1993. This lot has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database, and is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

With scorpions and restrung pair of red stone beads, old handwritten label '1628'; accompanied by an copy of an old scholarly note, typed and signed by W.G. Lambert, late Professor of Assyriology, University of Birmingham, 1970-1993, which states: 'Cylinder Seal of Hematite, 18x9.5 mm. This seal shows three rows of three scorpions, the middle row facing the opposite direction from the other two. This is a Syrian seal c. 1800-1500 B.C., of an unusual type. It is in fine state of preservation, and the insects are well engraved. The scorpion was a divine symbol ln the Ancient Near East, but in Syria it is not known of which deity it was the symbol. The design is in fact very old, being found in Jemdet Nasr seals c. 3000 B.C., and in Syria artists copied older motifs on many occasions.'; accompanied by a museum-quality impression. 5.4 grams, 18 mm



UK private collection, acquired 1980-1983. Accompanied by a copy of a scholarly note, typed and signed by Professor Wilfrid George Lambert in 1992. This lot has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database, and is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.