Loading, please wait...
LOT 1629
Western Asiatic Gold Pendant
1ST MILLENNIUM B.C.
5/8 in. (0.15 grams, 14 mm).
Four-lobed body formed from sheet-gold with a comma-shaped finial, suspension loop above. [No Reserve]
ProvenanceEx private British collection, formed in the 1980s.
Property of a West Northamptonshire, UK, gentleman.
TimeLine Auctions follows a vetting process to ensure the authenticity and legality of all items, reinforcing our commitment to integrity and responsible trading. Each antiquity, antique, and coin lot undergoes thorough examination by a vetting committee of at least ten external specialists, professional trade association members, scientists, and archaeologists: Our Vetting Process
AUCTIONS:
TimeLine is a leading auction house specialising in antiquities, ancient art, collectables, natural history, coins, medals, and books. Our auctions offer museums, collectors, historians, and enthusiasts the opportunity to acquire unique and historically significant pieces.
-
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. -
Western Asiatic Bone Idol
2nd century B.C.-2nd century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £85
Rectangular in section with waisted profile, incised zigzag, ring-and-dot and other motifs to both faces. 7.14 grams, 74.82 mm
From the private collection of a European gentleman (1942-2024), formed since the 1970s. -
Western Asiatic Stone Amulet and Bead Collection
2nd-1st millennium B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £286
A mixed group including: two barrel-shaped with etched decoration, one seashell-shaped, one mother-of-pearl pendant shaped as a fish, another fish-shaped pendant in stone, and others. 33.39 grams total, 15.89-25.69 mm
From the private collection of a European gentleman (1942-2024), formed since the 1970s.
