Western Asiatic Stone Stamp Seal with Engraved Design

Plano-convex in section with longitudinal piercing; underside with incised border and tondo in two registers with five characters. 4.41 grams, 19 mm



London, UK, art market, 1980s. Private collection, London, UK.

Matched pair of bovine-head mounts, each formed as a pair of D-shaped wings and a tail with low-relief feather detailing and holes to accept rivets; central head and neck of a bull with prominent horns, bands of curly hair to the plate and throat, large scaphoid eyes, incised contour detailing to muzzle, socket to reverse. 790 grams total, 8-13 cm wide



From the warehouse of Lane Hope Ltd, London, UK, 1980s (company dissolved December 1991). Private collection, UK; anonymous sale, Gorny & Mosch, Munich, Auction 206, 20 June 2012, no.85. European private collection, acquired at Gorny & Mosch, 2012. Accompanied by a copy of an Art Loss Register certificate, no.6210.AM. Accompanied by a copy of the relevant Gorny & Mosch catalogue pages. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12696-234610.

The fittings would have formed a part of four to the rim of a large bronze cauldron. Urartu was centred in eastern Anatolia, around Lake Van; the capital, Tushpa, was located on the eastern shore of the lake, situated on a high and elongated rock outcrop. Most sites boasted a well-built temple situated at the highest point, as well as a number of large storage rooms containing rows of large vessels for storing oil and grains, and massive, well-built fortification walls.

Square stamp seal with segmented face; accompanied by an old scholarly note, typed and signed by W.G. Lambert, late Professor of Assyriology, University of Birmingham, 1970-1993, which states: 'Stamp Seal of Bronze 37 x 35 x 19 mm. This is a roughly square with flat face and flat back, on which a handle of inverted U-shape is mounted. The design is compartmented and open-work. It consists of an outer band within which a simple cross divided the area into quarters, though only one bar of this cross reaches both ends, the transverse bar is divided into two parts. Each quarter thus created is filled with an L-shape, creating a small square at each outer corner. This comes from west central Asia and dates to c. 2300-2000 B.C. The outer edges are dented and the corners worn, but while there is incrustations on most of the surface, this could be removed.' 26 grams, 37.6 mm



Ex London, UK, collection, 1990s. Accompanied by an old scholarly note, typed and signed by Professor W.G. Lambert with reference no.R-499.