Western Asiatic Calligraphic Carnelian Gemstone

Depicting a bull standing with legs splayed and firmly planted, tail extending to the ground, billetted bands to the neck, chest, shoulders, rump and hips, rosette sun wheel to each shoulder and hip; mounted on the brow a tubular socket, extended stem with three median collars, and three more at the top; three radiating feline figures each supporting a post with gusseted ring above. 3.44 kg, 42.8 cm



Acquired before 1983. Ex London gallery, 1990s. Private collection, London. Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D'Amato. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12796-241374. 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.

The artefact belongs to a series of bronze works attesting the wide regional trade existing in the mid to late 3rd millennium B.C. in the Mesopotamian lands. They were realised with human or animal figures planted on a rectangular stand with a massive armature or candelabra issuing from the back.

Comprising: two large tanged arrowheads, mainly of triangular type with mid-rib; other two of the same typology, but with rounded shoulders; six triangular, leaf-shaped, barbed, and paddle-shaped arrowheads with a flat, comparatively wide mid-rib; one small triangular arrowhead with rounded shoulders; two arrowheads with foliate shape and short tang; a triangular type with flat mid-rib and raised corners; a long narrow triangular arrowhead with raised shoulders and long tang; one triangular blade with flat midrib and short tang; a long and narrow paddle-shaped arrowhead. 234 grams total, 3.6-15.7 cm



From the London art market, 1990s. 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.

A number of arrowheads of this type have been excavated in Luristan and in the South-Caspian region. Many parallels are from a burial context, but a large hoard of them was found in a non-funerary context. This type of arrowhead was in use from the late 2nd millennium B.C.

Bell-shaped with incuse design of a quadruped with a cross above its back. 12.9 grams, 23 mm



From the collection of a gentleman, acquired on the London art market in the 1990s. 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.