Catalog: Antiques: Regional Art: Ancient World: Near Eastern (21)

Interesting stone bead with three bands of drilled concentric circles, some of them linked with lines. Remains of red pigment in the cavities.
The Ghaznavid dynasty originated from Turkic slave-guards and lasted from 977 to 1186 AD. At their greatest extent the Ghaznavids controlled large parts of Iran, Afghanistan, much of Transoxiana and the northwest of the Indian subcontinent.
For related examples, cf. Art Curial Paris, Archéologie et Arts d'Orient, 24 May 2016 sale, lot no...

Rare centaur-like creature with a male torso merged to an equid body.
The bearded man is holding a pile of dishes with his right hand and a phial (?) with the left.
His head was taken from a mold and shows good detail to the beard and face...

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...

Bow adornment of a fibula in the shape of an elongated bird.
The animal is shown in alert pose with outstretched head. It shows a pointed beak, donut-like eyes, and a body carved with parallel lines to render the plumage.
For a related example, cf. Christie’s East New York, sale no. 200A (06 June 1981), part of lot no...

Hand-modeled female figure with bird-like facial features, including applied eyes and a pointed beak-like nose. At the nape a trapezoidal hair design fixed with a clay strip.
Her left arm placed over the chest, the other to her thigh. Wide angular shoulders. The neck enhanced with a collar of tiny beads.
The body in the shape of a simple column with slightly evert foot.
Terracotta
H...

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...

Hand-formed statuette of a small bird on a high foot. Compact head with pointed beak and hinted comb. Tiny punctures for the eyes and around the neck. The short body is followed by a broad, fanned tail with transverse and longitudinal grooves for the feathers.
Votive offering or toy.
Terracotta
Syro-Hittite, 2nd Millennium BC
H 4.3 cm (1.7 in)
L 3.3 cm (1.3 in)
Intact. Base with minor chips.
Ex Bonham’s London, 16.05.2002, lot no...

Large terracotta bull with prominent horns and a pronounced hump on the back. The holes for the wheel axles on the integrated base are indicative of a child's toy.
Also the small hole at the very front of the base, which was used to attach a pull cord.
Terracotta
Near Eastern, 1st millennium BC
H. 17.1 cm (6.7 in), L. 14.2 cm (5.6 in)
Encrusted and worn, but intact.
Private NYC collection, acquired 1970s-1980s...

Terracotta figure of a lion resting with crossed forepaws.
The raised head is modeled in great detail, mane and paws show the skilful use of modeling tool.
Fully hand modeled terracotta, part of a larger group, possibly with an additional figure mounted on the animal’s back. The surface with remains of an applied white wash.
Terracotta
Eastern Mediterranean, 2nd/3rd century AD
L. 9.1 cm (3.6 in)
H...

Bust of a camel with protruding snout, slit mouth, pierced nostrils and applied eyes. On top of the head the typical cap of hair. Wide neck and chest area, the back side with a central rib.
Terracotta
Near Eastern, 1st millennium BC
H. 9.7 cm (3.8 in)
H...

Hand modeled biconical vase with cream ground and red to dark brown decoration.
The body with groups of chevrons starting from a star-shaped pattern on the bottom. The narrow neck with a band of converging zig-zag patterns.
The globular body elongates laterally into pointed knob handles. Standing on a gently rounded base, vase slightly askew in appearance.
Shape and decoration are consistent with painted Hacilar I pottery ware.
For the shape, cf. fig. 140,7, pp. 412-...

Early Bronze Age jug of piriform body, narrow neck and beaked spout. The handle is parted at the join to the belly and decorated with diagonal fluting – to render a twisted feature.
With a Thermoluminescent Report from Oxford University dated December 1976.
Ceramic
Anatolian, Yortan Culture, 2700-2500 BC
H. 16 cm (6.3 in)
Small section of the spout’s upper edge restored. Otherwise intact and of choice condition. Root marks and soil deposits.
Ex Swiss...

Mesopotamian incantation bowl with a nonsensical text consisting of repetitive scribbles.
Bowls with nonsensical non-writing or pseudo-script were not uncommon. The four lines of writing enclose two demonic figures. Possibly male and female.
The heads are rendered in profile with large eyes, the line applied between nose and chin may be a tongue sticking out.
Both demons appear with crossed arms and legs, suggesting that they are bound. The feet with indicated toes.
S...

Hand modeled biconical vase with carefully burnished cream ground.
Decorated in red with loop groups around the body and horizontal bands on the wide cylindrical neck.
The bag shaped body elongates laterally into pointed knob handles. Standing on a flat base.
Shape and decoration are consistent with painted Hacilar I pottery ware. For the shape, cf. fig. 140,7, pp. 412-413 in: J. Mellaart. Excavations at Hacilar. Vol. 1. Edinburgh 1970. For the discussion of Hacilar I pott...

Mesopotamian incantation bowl with the meaningless repetition of the same letter. The text is grouped in adjacent areas and surrounds two demonic figures with differentiated sexual attributes.
The woman appears with long hair or a veil, the man is depicted with a short brush cut.
Arms and legs are hatched, the fingers indicated. The arms are bound together.
Between the figures a scorpion with segmented body and multiple legs. The grasping pincers are rendered as simple lines...

Burnished Yortan jug of globular body and narrow neck. The beaked spout is connected to the body with an arched handle.
Six raised knobs around the belly and one at the bottom to the handle.
Ceramic
Anatolian, Yortan Culture, 2700-2500 BC
H. 24 cm (9.4 in)
Spout and handle reattached, otherwise choice condition. Carefully polished surface. Root marks and soil deposits.
Ex Swiss private collection of Elsa Bloch-Diener, Berne, since the mid-1970s.
W...

Rare Seljuk bronze key with an eagle standing on the back of a rooster while pecking at the head of its prey. The rooster has a small crest and protruding eyes.
Birds play an important role in the Seljuk decorative repertoire, and in this case they probably evoke a demonstration of power.
Cast into a two-piece mold and showing a casting seam.
Bronze
Islamic, Seljuq Period, 11th-12th century AD
L. 9.1 cm (3.7 in)
Rare piece. Surface slightly corroded. Th...

Nicely modeled bronze figure of a horse with elongated body, stiff legs and long tail.
The head shows a flattened muzzle with incised mouth, domed eyes and alert ears.
The tail with hatched incisions. Suspension loop at the base of the neck.
Bronze
Luristan, 8th-7th century BC
L. 6.7 cm (2.6 in)
H. 3.8 cm (1.5 in)
Intact and fine. Nice patina with soil deposits.
Ex collection of William Ashby.

The authenticity of the object is...