Through the regions of Margianaand Bactrialocalstonecarversexperiencednoshortage in material; the main raw material was soft steatite or a dark soapstone, but also various kinds of marble and white-veined alabaster. The main source for thesestones,including semi-precious lapis-lazuli, was in Bactria, at Badakhshan in north-western Afghanistan, which provided material not only for the Bactrian and Margian carvers but also farther to the west into Mesopotamia, for the Assyriankings.White-veinedalabasterwasindeed used for varied vessels, including small vases with disproportionately long stems and low capacity, such as the one here illustrated. ,p> For a comparable Bactrian example see, V. Sarianidi, Margus, Turkmenistan, 2002: p.136. - (LO.1008).Bactrian Alabaster Goblet -LO.1008Origin:Turkmenistan Circa:2000BCto1500BCDimensions:9"(22.9cm) high Collection: Central Asia Style: Bactrio-Margiana Medium: Alabaster

Antiquities
Ancient Near East