This is a fantastic find. It is an early Persian anchor-shaped axe dating to roughly 2200-2000 BC. This piece is stable and solid with only a few losses to the shaft/guard area. This piece weighs 466 grams and measures 12 cm from top to bottom. It is roughly 3 cm thick at the shaft holes. A similar piece in the Axel Guttmann collection sold at auction for over $3000 several years ago. Additional photos available on request. Authenticity is guaranteed.

Youthful head of a Bodhissatva with superbly modeled asymmetries. The protruding left side of the face together with the falling line of the eyes and of the mouth make the head appear bent to the right. The yellow-ochre face shows black eyebrows and faint red pigment on the swollen eyelids which close the eyes to slits. Traces of red also appear on the sensitively modeled fleshy mouth...

Head of the Buddha shown with solemn expression. The refined facial features with arched eyebrows over heavy lidded eyes and a sensitively modeled mouth with purse lips. The half open eyes with their barely indicated irises confer the head a meditative gaze. The hair is delicately textured with a central bun (usnisha) on top. The idealized style is reminiscent of Greek Hellenistic sculpture which lived on among Gandharan artists. Stucco. Gandhara, 3rd/4th century AD. H. 7.7 cm (3 in), H...

This is a very interesting bronze, socketed spear from ancient Greece or Persia. It has a slightly swollen midrib accented with incised lines. The socket is split at the original seam and there are some losses. The blade has what appears to be ancient battle damage, making this quite a unique piece for any collection. The overall length is roughly 18 cm and the weight is 130 grams.

This is a very early specimen of a bronze dagger or spear from the ancient middle East. It is solid and stable with only minor losses. It has a plain blade and tang typical of the earliest pieces from the region. It weighs 162 grams and measures roughly 20 cm in length. This is a great piece to start off your collection or to pick up a very early type at a reasonable price.

This is a wonderful but plain little copper alloy or bronze axe head from the ancient middle East. Types like this are often associated with either the Amlash or Luristan cultures. This piece has three raised ridges on the socket. It is intact, solid and stable with no repair or restoration. It weighs 230 grams and measures 12.5 cm across. This is a fine example of ancient craftsmanship at a very low price. Don't miss it!!!!

Ancient Near Eastern "MESOPOTAMIAN" stone amulet of a fish with nice incised details, dating to around 2000 BC

Measurements: Length: 3.5 cm - Height: 1 cm

condition: Intact as found

For thousands of years, since before recorded history, man has worn amulets and talismans for luck and protection. The stones, feathers, teeth and claws that adorned early cultures eventually gave way to an array of amulets whose powers were as varied as their forms...

This week I am posting several Bronze Age weapons from the Middle East including a set of 5, very unique, crescent-hilt daggers from the Marlik culture (circa 1000 BC). These all came from the same private collection. For a nearly identical example see "Arms and Armor from Iran" by Manoucher Khorasani p 50 figure 1 and page 53. This specimen appears to have been cleaned partially so I have included a 35X micrograph of an area of the surface showing crystallization common on ancient bronze...

This type of bronze weapon is generally designated as a short sword. It has a substantial midrib with tapering edges. The edges are concave in the upper part and gracefully draw into spikes or wings that extend around either side of the tang. Weapons of this type are found in Northwestern Iran and most likely date to around the 9th century BC. “Weapons of this type [are] widely represented in the Ghaletenti I cemetery in Dailiman.” (“Arms and Armor from Iran” by Manouchehr M...

This type of bronze weapon is generally designated as a short sword. It has a substantial midrib with tapering edges. The edges are concave in the upper part and gracefully draw into spikes or wings that extend around either side of the tang. Weapons of this type are found in Northwestern Iran and most likely date to around the 9th century BC. “Weapons of this type [are] widely represented in the Ghaletenti I cemetery in Dailiman.” (“Arms and Armor from Iran” by Manouchehr M...

This is an ancient bronze short sword from Northwestern Iran. It has a choice, predominantly blue patina mottled with green and red. The lower half of the hilt is basically ovoid in hape with a lappet-flanged area on both broad surfaces. Flanged areas often held inlays of wood or bone but a lappet flange of this type was probably a decoration in and of itself. The upper half of the hilt is also ovoid but with the broad surfaces oriented perpendicular to the lower half...

This fantastic ancient weapon is a bronze dagger or spear from Luristan - ancient Northern Iran circa 1200 BC. This piece is heavy and stable. It has a leaf shaped blade with a strong midrib. The tang tapers to a small 90 degree bend.It has a wonderful patina including malachite and azurite encrustations. This would be a marvelous addition to any collection.It measures just over 26 cm in length and weighs208 grams.

This is a bronze dagger from the Bactrian culture dating to roughly 2000-2500 BC. It is a fine, intact example of ancient bronze weaponry. It measures 173 mm in length and weighs 57 grams. The metal is solid and stable with an "as found" patina. This is a quality weapon at a reasonable price.

A finely preserved small inscribed foundation cylinder, Neo-Babylonian Empire, c. 8th-6th. century BC.

The barrel shaped piece fully inscribed in Babylonian cuneiform. Untranslated but such cylinders usually has been attributed to Nebucadnezzar II, 604-562 B.C. They were stuck into buidings walls and is often long texts with praises to the builder and the gods, usually a king, just like foundation bricks.

Size: 60 mm. long and c. 25-26 mm...

Interesting pottery jar with handle and fine decoration in red on beige ground, Ancient Near East c. 2nd. millenium BC.

Size: 15,8 cm. wide and 11,3 cm. tall.

Condition: Very fine, with short crack and small chip nicely restored and not visible.

Ex. Old Danish Collection.

Interesting cylinder seal carved in greyish black stone, with worshippers standing either side of the Tree of Life, with the winged emblem of Ashur / Assur above. Nice Neo-Assyrian style and fine details.

Size: 20 mm. tall and 10 mm. wide.

Condition: Good Very fine, light wear and completely intact.

Provenance: The Karl Müller collection, Germany 1950-1977. Comes with COA and his imprint.

A very attractive saraboid seal, carved on the upper side with three section of grit-patterns, and on the seal base with a frontal stylized Rams head emblem, Anatolia, probably costal region, 2nd. millenium BC.

As a very precious material in antiquity, Lapis seals were expensive and thus scarcely seen today. This particular stone is in a very deep good color.

Size: c...

A high quality and massive Mesopotamian cylinder seal carved in dark serpentine stone, North-West Mesopotamia, c. 18th.-16th. century BC.

The seal is profusely engraved with a complex depiction of deities and animals. A central godess is sort of flying with her hands touching two creatures above. A worshipper in front with hands raised. Aray of animals and smaller figures including a Centaur below.

Size: 44-45 mm. tall. and 15 mm. wide.

Condition: Near Extremely...