Western Asiatic Stone Macehead

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.

Biconvex in profile with flared foot and everted rim to the mouth. 434 grams, 11.2 cm wide



From a collection formed before 1990. Ex Mayfair, London, UK, gallery, 2000s. 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 figures and fire altar, restrung pair of red stone beads, old handwritten label '1649'; 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 Fawn Fossil Shell, 35 x 20.5 mm. On the right sits a snake god: human body above the waist, curling snake below, with one hand extended. Facing him stands a god in long robe with bottom fringe, also extending one hand. Between them is a fire altar. Behind each god is a sideboard for holding food and drink ready to consume. There is a lunar crescent in the sky. This is an Akkadian seal from Mesopotamia or Western Iran, c. 2300-2200 B.C. The snake god is not yet identified from texts, but is a fascinating item of Akkadian mythology.'; accompanied by a museum-quality impression. 30 grams, 35 mm



Armand Trampitsch, Glyptique Archéologie, Paris, Hôtel Drouot, 13-14 May 1992, no.23 [Part]. 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.