Decorated with a lively pattern of incisions, this graceful vessel perhaps contained fine oil or wine during the sunset of the Classical world. When we hold it today, we are  More »

Decorated with a lively pattern of incisions, this graceful vessel perhaps contained fine oil or wine during the sunset of the Classical world. When we hold it today, we are aware of the touch of ancient hands: shaping it, decorating its surface, selling it in some bustling marketplace, pouring out is precious contents. In its presence, those ancient persons, otherwise forgotten, come briefly alive. We feel the energy of their lives and we become part of the unbroken chain of history. - (P.0485)   « Less

n Israel, as in other ancient nations, it was customary to dedicate persons or objects to sacred use by anointing them with oil. Thus Samuel anointed Saul king, as Moses had  More »

n Israel, as in other ancient nations, it was customary to dedicate persons or objects to sacred use by anointing them with oil. Thus Samuel anointed Saul king, as Moses had hallowed the tabernacle and Aaron the High Priest before, and Abraham had sanctified Isaac. A vessel such as this--simple but elegant--may have contained oil for ritual use. Whose hands might have held it so long ago we cannot know, yet the connection is a direct one between our age and theirs. - (P.0616)   « Less

The dreamy, classical beauty of this woman almost certainly identifies her as a goddess, perhaps a Romanized version of the Egyptian Isis, or Persephone, reluctant queen of  More »

The dreamy, classical beauty of this woman almost certainly identifies her as a goddess, perhaps a Romanized version of the Egyptian Isis, or Persephone, reluctant queen of the underworld. The loops on her head were probably for the attachment of a crown of flowers, while the holes in her neck suggest that her missing body may have been of ivory or wood covered with precious gold or silver. She appears lost in a reverie: wistful, lovely, a little sad--as if mourning the passing of ancient glories. - (FZ.034)   « Less

This elegant shaped stirrup vessel is of a type often associated with ancient Mycenae on the Greek mainland. As there was thriving trade during the Late Bronze Age between  More »

This elegant shaped stirrup vessel is of a type often associated with ancient Mycenae on the Greek mainland. As there was thriving trade during the Late Bronze Age between the various cultures of the eastern Mediterranean, it is very possible that the jar originated there and traveled to ancient Palestine filled with precious oil or wine. Graceful in form, with bold yet simple decoration, it reminds us of mankind's age-old desire to surround himself with a beauty that outshines mere function. Whose hands might have held it so long ago we can only guess, yet the connection is a direct one between our age and theirs. - (P.2338)   « Less

Origin: Sinai, Egypt Circa: 720 BC to 30 BC Dimensions: 2.5" (6.4cm) high x .75" (1.9cm) wide Catalogue: V1 Collection: Egyptian Style: Late Dynastic Period Medium:  More »

Origin: Sinai, Egypt Circa: 720 BC to 30 BC Dimensions: 2.5" (6.4cm) high x .75" (1.9cm) wide Catalogue: V1 Collection: Egyptian Style: Late Dynastic Period Medium: Bronze This bronze statuette represents a ram gingerly striding forward on a rectangular base. The ram is modeled with restraint with a sculptural emphasis placed on the stylized musculature of its body rather than an articulation of its fleece. Nevertheless, certain details such as its hooves, tail, horns, and muzzle are more naturally rendered and imbue the figure with a sobriety consistent with its depiction as a manifestation of the state god, Amun. That identification is confirmed by the sun disc fronted by a uraeus which serves as the ram’s headdress and sole insignia. The cult of the state god Amun rose to prominence during the course of the Egyptian New Kingdom in the late second millennium B.C. and continued to maintain its pre-eminent role into the Late Period. So, for example, the Kushite pharaohs of Dynasty XXV linked the Egyptian god Amun of Thebes with their own local deity of Napata worshipped deep in Nubia at Gebel Barkal. Later, in the fourth century B.C., Alexander the Great, in an effort to promote his divine claim, often chose to be depicted with the ram’s horns of Amun as his personal emblem. Our ram can, therefore, be dated to this late resurgence of the cult of Amun. And while, admittedly, there are few known parallels for our particular depiction, its style is consistent with that known for the depiction of other animals, such as the mongoose. A dating within the Late Period, therefore, seems assured for our example.   « Less

Throughout antiquity, the ostrich was esteemed as a noble bird, prized for its size, its speed, its feathers and its eggs. The pharaohs of Egypt are depicted hunting the  More »

Throughout antiquity, the ostrich was esteemed as a noble bird, prized for its size, its speed, its feathers and its eggs. The pharaohs of Egypt are depicted hunting the ostrich, and fans made from the tail feathers have been valued because of their unusual size and perfect shape. In the Biblical era, the rare eggs were something turned into offering vessels or lamps for sacred shrines. Who gave this gift to some unknown god, hoping to win the favor of the deity? This graceful object acts like a key to the past, opening the doors of the imagination. - (P.2516)   « Less

Throughout antiquity, the ostrich was esteemed as a noble bird, prized for its size, its speed, its feathers and its eggs. The pharaohs of Egypt are depicted hunting the  More »

Throughout antiquity, the ostrich was esteemed as a noble bird, prized for its size, its speed, its feathers and its eggs. The pharaohs of Egypt are depicted hunting the ostrich, and fans made from the tail feathers have been valued because of their unusual size and perfect shape. In the Biblical era, the rare eggs were something turned into offering vessels or lamps for sacred shrines. Who gave this gift to some unknown god, hoping to win the favor of the deity? This graceful object acts like a key to the past, opening the doors of the imagination. - (P.2708)   « Less

Origin: Egypt Circa: 2 nd Century AD Dimensions: 10.75" (27.3cm) high Collection: Egyptian Style: Roman Period Medium: Limestone The grinning dwarf god Bes was one of  More »

Origin: Egypt Circa: 2 nd Century AD Dimensions: 10.75" (27.3cm) high Collection: Egyptian Style: Roman Period Medium: Limestone The grinning dwarf god Bes was one of the most popular deities in the Egyptian pantheon, one whose worship was absorbed almost intact into Hellenistic culture. He was a popular subject for amulets, and part of his appeal appears to have been the perception that he was more accessible and willing to listen to the common man than were the intimidating national gods such as Amun, Osiris, or Horus. In addition to being a patron god of music and art, Bes was believed to protect mankind from all evil and malevolence and thus is a fitting subject for amulets. He was also held to be a protector of pregnant women, amusing them during childbirth so that they forget the pain. Bes is usually depicted as a dwarf with a face that is both leonine and human. Here, he is represented nude squatting down with bent knees, brandishing a sword in his raised right hand and clenching a snake in his lowered left hand, as if about to decapitate this serpent. He is shown with his characteristic leonine beard and plumed headdress. Created during the Roman Period, when the Emperors of Rome ruled over the land of Egypt, this impressive relief panel is a testament to the popularity of Bes during this period of heavy Classical influence. - (X.0137)   « Less

Simple yet graceful in form, this lovely jug perhaps contained scented oil during the Golden Age of Rome. When we hold it today, we are aware of the touch of ancient hands:  More »

Simple yet graceful in form, this lovely jug perhaps contained scented oil during the Golden Age of Rome. When we hold it today, we are aware of the touch of ancient hands: shaping it, glazing it, selling it in some bustling marketplace, pouring out its precious contents. In its presence, those ancient citizens of Rome--otherwise forgotten--come briefly alive. We feel the energy of their lives, and we become part of the unbroken chain of history. - (P.2841)   « Less

Stone Weight in the Shape of a Duck - LO.1104 Origin: Egypt Circa: 1500 BC to 1100 BC Dimensions: 1.75" (4.4cm) wide Collection: Egyptian Antiquities Medium: Diorite

Stone Weight in the Shape of a Duck - LO.1104 Origin: Egypt Circa: 1500 BC to 1100 BC Dimensions: 1.75" (4.4cm) wide Collection: Egyptian Antiquities Medium: Diorite   « Less