In 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 »

In 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 can only guess, yet the connection is a direct one between our age and theirs. - (P.0149)   « Less

Since the dawn of time, the bull has represented power, strength and nobility. This splendid votive, unusually large, depicts a Zebu, the hump-backed bull common to Asian  More »

Since the dawn of time, the bull has represented power, strength and nobility. This splendid votive, unusually large, depicts a Zebu, the hump-backed bull common to Asian regions. At the height of the Hittite empire, it was offered as a gift to win the favor of the gods. A fierce warrior people, the Hittites worshiped deities for whom a bull was the ultimate sacrifice. As atribute to masculine strength, it impresses seven today with its timeless aura of power. -(FZ.213)Hittite Bronze Zebu Bull Votive Sculpture - FZ.213Origin: Anatolia Circa: 2000 BC to 1500 BCDimensions: 3" (7.6cm) high x 4.25" (10.8cm) wide Collecton:Near Eastern Style:Hittite Medium:Bronze   « Less

In 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 »

In 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 can only guess, yet the connection is a direct one between our age and theirs. - (P.0190)   « Less

For thousands of years, mortals offered gifts to their gods in hopes of receiving their benevolent blessings. For male deities, the most magnificent sacrifice was the bull,  More »

For thousands of years, mortals offered gifts to their gods in hopes of receiving their benevolent blessings. For male deities, the most magnificent sacrifice was the bull, symbolic of strength, virility, and power. This bronze Zebu, the humped ox among the first animals domesticated by man, was surely meant to stand in place of a living animal. With great simplicity, the ancient artist has captured the essence of the beast. As we hold it today, we cannot help but wonder if the prayers of the ancient votary were heard and answered. - (FZ.229)Bronze Sculpture of a Zebu Bull - FZ.229Origin: Central Asia Circa: 1200 BC to700BCDimensions:2.25"(5.7cm)highx1.25"(3.2cm)wollection: Near Eastern Style: Iron Age Medium:ronze   « Less

The graceful form and restrained linear decoration of this vessel make it as appealing to the modern eye as it no doubt was to the ancient age that created it. Looking at its  More »

The graceful form and restrained linear decoration of this vessel make it as appealing to the modern eye as it no doubt was to the ancient age that created it. Looking at its flowing contours, we do not doubt that its now-vanished contents--probably olive oil--were of the finest quality. Today, its timeless beauty holds only the seductive fragrance of imagination. One whiff sends us traveling backward through time. - (P.0219)   « Less

In 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 »

In 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.0619)   « Less

There is still mystery surrounding theexactmeaning and function of this rare and splendid plaque, but its hypnotic power is obvious. On one side a warrior with the horns and  More »

There is still mystery surrounding theexactmeaning and function of this rare and splendid plaque, but its hypnotic power is obvious. On one side a warrior with the horns and ears of a bull stands next to the larger-scaled bust of a woman, perhaps a goddess. On the opposite side is an engraving very probably representing a deity. Suddenly we are drawn into a different time and place, into a world where gods and heroes walked freely among men. As more clues to the importance of Ebla as a vital ancient city emerge, perhaps we will come to better understand thisfascinating artifact. - (Z.01Mesopotamian Bronze Relief Plaque - Z.0134Origin: Ebla, Syria Circa: 1500 BC to 800 BCDimensions: 3.25" (8.3cm) high x3.75"9.5cm)wide Collection: Near Eastern Style: esopotamian Medium: Bronze   « Less

Shalmanessar III reigned as the King of Assyria from 859 to 824 B.C. He was the son of Assurnasirpal and conducted 32 campaigns in the 35 years of his reign. Many of the  More »

Shalmanessar III reigned as the King of Assyria from 859 to 824 B.C. He was the son of Assurnasirpal and conducted 32 campaigns in the 35 years of his reign. Many of the campaigns were directed against the lands west of the Euphrates, particularly against the powerful kingdom of Aram. Although he had some success and even received considerable tribute from the allies of Aram, including Israel, he failed to conquer Aram itself. Two of his monuments, now in the British Museum, are particularly noteworthy: the Black Obelisk on which Jehu, king of Israel, is depicted kissing Shalmanessar’s feet, and the plaques of hammered bronze known as the Gates of Balawat. This splendid brick features an inscription written in cuneiform, an ancient language inscribed using a series of wedge-shaped incisions. The text can be translated as: “Shalmanessar, great king, might king, king of the world, king of Assyria, son of Assurnasirpal, great king, mighty king, king of the world, king of Assyria, descendant of Tukulti-Ninurta, king of the world, king of Assyria, (brick for) the erection of the ziggurat of the city of Kalhu.” This stunning artifact records the greatness of a king who, were it not for such splendid monuments, might otherwise be forgotten. Thus this brick is one of the last resounding echoes of a king’s great call. -(PF.5520)Brick Dedicated to Shalmanessar III - PF.5520Origin: Mesopotamia Circa: 858 BC to 824 BCDimensions: 14.5" (36.8cm) high x 14.5" (36.8cm)wide Catalogue:V29Collection: Near Eastern Style: Assyrian   « Less

Origin: Israel Circa: 1300 BC to 900 BC Weight: 22 Grams Collection: Egyptian Style: Late 2nd to early 1st Millennium BC Medium: Gold This remarkable spheroid vase is  More »

Origin: Israel Circa: 1300 BC to 900 BC Weight: 22 Grams Collection: Egyptian Style: Late 2nd to early 1st Millennium BC Medium: Gold This remarkable spheroid vase is in the form of a pomegranate. Its short neck with distinctive, ribbed, everted petals imitates the natural form of the top of this fruit. The neck of the vessel is decorated with a series of repeated motifs in the form of a central lotus bud, flanked on each side by single lotus blossoms. These are oriented toward the bottom of the vessel as if forming part of a garland placed around the neck of the vase. The pomegranate was first introduced into Egypt during the later Bronze Age from the Levant as a result of the military campaigns of such warrior pharaohs as Tuthmosis III. Shortly thereafter Egyptian craftsmen of Dynasty XVIII were creating vases in the shape of pomegranates in silver, faience, glass, ivory and other deluxe materials. These, however, differ in their design from our golden pomegranate.   « Less

Although archaeological excavations reveal that the land of the Assyrians had been inhabited as early as 5000 B.C., it was not until the reign of King Sargon of Akkad in 2371  More »

Although archaeological excavations reveal that the land of the Assyrians had been inhabited as early as 5000 B.C., it was not until the reign of King Sargon of Akkad in 2371 B.C. that the Assyrians first rose to glory. Under Sargon, the kingdom rapidly expanded north to the city of Ashur and as far west as the Mediterranean, controlled by a central government based in Akkad. By 1813 B.C., King Shamshi-Adad I united the cities of Ashur, Nineveh, and Arbel into one cohesive administrative unit. These three cities, as well as Arrapkha and Kalhu (later known as Nimrud), form the historical core of the Assyrian Kingdom which would remain a credible force throughout the Mediterranean world for the next millennium. While various parts of Assyrian territory were annexed for brief periods of time by neighboring civilizations, this core remained firmly intact. The Assyrians experienced another Golden Age, lasting from the 9th until the 7th Century B.C. (this period is referred to as “Neo-Assyrian”). During this period, the kingdom grew to its largest extent, encompassing the lands from parts of modern Iran to the Mediterranean, from Anatolia to Egypt. However, it proved difficult even for the powerful Assyrian monarchs to maintain control over this vast territory for very long. By the end of the 7th Century, the Assyrian Kingdom began to collapse under the weight of assaults from the Babylonians to the south and the newly founded Medes Kingdom to the east. In 612 B.C., Nimrud burned for the second time in three years, followed by the sacking of Ashur and Nineveh, effectively ending Assyrian control of the ancient Near East.Assyrian Brick with Cuneiform Inscription - PF.5521Origin: Mesopotamia Circa: 883BCto859BCDimensions:18"(45.7cm)highx17.75"(45.1cm)wide Collection:Near Eastern Style:Assyrian Medium: Mudbrick   « Less