Western Asiatic Stone Jewellery Mould

Drum-shaped with iridescent surface, reserved bull's head and segmented spiral motifs. 19 grams, 27 mm



From the private collection of the late Mr S.M., 1969-1999.

Modelled with an angular nose with straight ridge, small mouth with raised lips, rounded cheeks and chin, shallow eyes with grooved outlines, shallow ears, short neck, the back and the top of the head left roughly tooled; mounted on a custom-made display stand. 3.3 kg total, 24.3 cm high including stand



UK collection, 1990s. Acquired on the UK art market, before 2000. Private collection, Mr M.V., a London-based businessman.

This finely carved calcite-alabaster head was probably unfinished, as can be seen from the absence of the holes for the inlay of the eyes and the unfinished ears. In the Arabian funerary sculptures of the period, the tops of the heads are usually cut off flat just above the hair line and left roughly tooled. The cut was due to the necessity of fitting them into niches of 'house shrines'. Large stelae with niches containing such heads were found in the Timna Cemetery.

Showing two goddesses with two other figures; accompanied by a museum quality impression and a copy of an old scholarly note by W.G. Lambert, late Professor of Assyriology, University of Birmingham, 1970-1993, which states: 'Cylinder seal of green jasper 19 x 11 mm. Presentation scene: seated goddess to right, before her one goddess, a woman holding a bucket and a man holding a kid are standing. Akkadian, c. 2300-2200 B.C., fine engraving in very good condition.' 3.96 grams, 19 mm



From the private collection of a North American lady, formed 1970s-early 1990s, with collection reference no.P108. Accompanied by a copy of a scholarly note, handwritten and signed by Professor Wilfrid George Lambert and an old photograph.