Catalog: Antiques: Regional Art: Ancient World: Near Eastern: Stone (6)

Steatite bowl, with an elaborate decoration carved in relief representing bearded and winged characters, in formal attire, standing and holding a disc, maybe a cymbal, in each hand, alternating with two circular symbols and surmounted by a geometric design around the rim. Indus Valley Civilisation (2600-1900 BC). Height: 7 cm. Diameter: 12.2 cm...

Relief fragment representing Buddha standing beside a column, his right hand holding his robe, his left hand in blessing posture, with a worshipper kneeling in front of him. Grey schist. Graeco-Buddhist art, Gandhara period, 1st to 3rd century. Height: 17 cm. Mounted on a plexi stand. Good condition. Provenance: Christie's Amsterdam auction sale 1993.

Alabaster amulet finely carved to represent a falcon with a tiger head protruding from its tail. Two holes on top of the falcon wings allow attachment to a necklace. Mesopotamia, ca. 2000 B.C. Height: 7.5 cm. Old accident on its top, restored since, slight abrasion, otherwise very good condition

Agate cylinder seal with an intricate incised design representing a king or deity facing right, surmounted by a bird, and facing a smaller character holding a weapon and standing on a pedestal surmounting a tiny character at its feet. Mesopotamia, ca. 2000 B.C. Height: 4.4 cm. Abrasion, tiny chips, otherwise very good condition.

Funeral statuette composed of two separate parts: a head made of limestone, a formal robe made of chlorite adorned with a necklace and two tigers in relief on the sides. This type of statuette is commonly called "Bactrian princess" among specialists, and dates back from the mid third to the early second millenium BC. Such funeral objects seem to have played an important role in the funerals of elites of the Margiana and maybe the Bactrian courts as well. Height: 6.5 cm. Width: 4 cm...

Finely incised cylinder seal made of black stone, representing the famous hero Gilgamesh confronting firmly on each side with his two hands a lion with a human head. The whole scene is surmounted by two wings with a sort of sun in their center. Inscriptions in cuneiform on the sides. Mesopotamia, ca. 3000 BC. Height: 43 mm. Slight abrasion due to age, otherwise very good condition. Provenance: acquired in Paris from an antique dealer in 1971.