Culture: NEAR EASTERN.

Date: 2650 - 2550 BC. (early dynastic)

Origin: Mespotamiam/ Mari.

Material: Silver over bronze core.

Provenance: EX: EARLY PRIVATE COLLECTION

Condition: INTACT, VERY GOOD.

Measurements: 4.5 INCHES high, (11.5 CMS).

A very rare type of statue in metal. The majority of those statues were made from stone, and only few were made from metal. Among the major excavations at tel asmar; temple of abu, and mari; temple of ishtar, very few worshipers, ( almost none), were excavated in silver or bronze. According to Andre Parrot, in his book titled Sumer, The Arts of Mankind, pp. 150-151, I quote: "Metal came into general use early in the third millenium, the result was nothing short of a revolution in the technique of tool making, for tools had hitherto been almost exclusively made of stone or clay. The effects of this innovation made themselves felt in art, which was the first to benefit by it. Such metals as copper, bronze, silver, electrum, and gold, in all grades from the commonest to the finest, were now available for many purposes. Here again, we find, that on the whole the bronze founders and goldsmiths seem to have made efforts to work on a different line, and thus to avoid duplication; they produced, for example, very few worshippers, while any number of them still were carved in stone". He then continues to refer to a small bronze statuette of a man in the Louvre museum, bearded with his hands clasped, similar to bearded men excavated from Khafaje. The statue we are offering here is a major rarity, and if it was in a slightly better condition, it will be worth at least $150,000.

Antiquities
Ancient Near East