Western Asiatic Hand of Fatima Stone Fragment

Discoid in plan with loop handle, raised rim enclosing high-relief design of opposed heads of a two-headed serpent flanked by two smaller addorsed serpents. 18.5 grams, 27 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.

Carved in the round as a bull with curved tail forming the suspension lug, recessed sockets for eyes with inset turquoise beads; repaired. 27.1 grams, 45 mm



with Gallery Rosen Ancient Art, Tel Aviv, 1968. with a London, UK gallery, 1971-early 2000s. Accompanied by a copy of the original 1968 invoice. 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.

Accompanied by a 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 Faience with Green Glaze 43 x 17 mm. The design, which is contained within a line above and another beneath, consists of two scenes of worship. The one shows a stylized sacred tree with a central trunk and five branches each side, all ending in buds, then a pendant hanging from each lowest branch on either side. On left and right and facing the tree are worshippers, both with hands raised. The other scene has two similar worshipers, facing each other with hands raised. Between them the area is divided in the middle by a guilloche. Above it is a stag falling onto its neck, below it is another kind of horned animal, but recumbent and turning its head. This seal is Mitanni, c. 1500-1200 B.C and from anywhere in the area between Syria and Western Kurdistan. It is a product of the Hurrian civilization and the stylized tree is a symbol of the Storm God, Hurrian Teshub, Babylonian Adad, Hebrew Hadad or Baal. The horned animals occur commonly on Mitanni seals, and this seal proves that they are symbolic of some god, but it is not known which one. The guilloche is a standard decorative filler of the period. Faience is a manufactures substance, comparable with the modern porcelain. In the ground it often deteriorates over the centuries and has a powdery surface. This one, however, is in good condition, the only mark of its age being that the glaze has lost something of its original colour, which was turquoise This is an unusually large seal and important since seals of this size and quality are extremely rare.'; supplied with a museum-quality impression. 11.3 grams, 42 mm



From the private collection of a North American lady, formed 1970s-early 1990s, with collection reference no.P31. Accompanied by a copy of a scholarly note, typed and signed by Professor Wilfrid George Lambert dated September 1990. 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.