Origin: Egypt Circa: 6000 BC to 4000 BC Collection: Egyptian Style: Neolithic Medium: Flint The creation of tools utilizing the natural environment is what distinguishes  More »

Origin: Egypt Circa: 6000 BC to 4000 BC Collection: Egyptian Style: Neolithic Medium: Flint The creation of tools utilizing the natural environment is what distinguishes man from animal. What was once created using stone, wood, and bone has, over the centuries, evolved into metalworking and modern-day plastics. But it is the earliest tools, those carved from stone, which allowed mankind to conquer the natural environment and to prosper. Holding this flint arrowhead in our hand, delicately carved to a fine point thousands of years ago, we are holding the nascent breath of civilization. Tools allowed mankind to utilize his natural setting to its fullest potential, to altar the surroundings to suite his needs, and to create his own collective habitats that would eventually evolve into great cities. An arrowhead head like this one, when tied securely to a wooden shaft, could have been used to fell a fleeing prey or to spear a fish. As well, the delicate serrated edge could be used to cut and prepare the meat for cooking. This stone arrowhead represents the innate human drive to altar the environment, to innovate, and to conquer. It is in these earliest tools that we are able to witness the birth of civilization. From such tools, mankind learned to carve stones and rocks into new shapes and forms that suited the needs of the people evolving from arrowheads to temples. - (N.1071)   « 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 oftheancient Near Eas Assyrian Glazed Brick Tile Depictinga Mythological Creature-X.0262Origin:Mesopotamia Circa: 900 BC to 700BCDimensions:21.75"(55.2cm)highollection:Near Eastern Style Assyrian Medium: Glazed Terracotta   « Less

Origin: Egypt Circa: 6000 BC to 4000 BC Collection: Egyptian Style: Neolithic Medium: Flint The creation of tools utilizing the natural environment is what distinguishes  More »

Origin: Egypt Circa: 6000 BC to 4000 BC Collection: Egyptian Style: Neolithic Medium: Flint The creation of tools utilizing the natural environment is what distinguishes man from animal. What was once created using stone, wood, and bone has, over the centuries, evolved into metalworking and modern-day plastics. But it is the earliest tools, those carved from stone, which allowed mankind to conquer the natural environment and to prosper. Holding this flint arrowhead in our hand, delicately carved to a fine point thousands of years ago, we are holding the nascent breath of civilization. Tools allowed mankind to utilize his natural setting to its fullest potential, to altar the surroundings to suite his needs, and to create his own collective habitats that would eventually evolve into great cities. An arrowhead head like this one, when tied securely to a wooden shaft, could have been used to fell a fleeing prey or to spear a fish. As well, the delicate serrated edge could be used to cut and prepare the meat for cooking. This stone arrowhead represents the innate human drive to altar the environment, to innovate, and to conquer. It is in these earliest tools that we are able to witness the birth of civilization. From such tools, mankind learned to carve stones and rocks into new shapes and forms that suited the needs of the people evolving from arrowheads to temples. - (N.1072)   « Less

Chlorite is a distinctive gray-green stone that was utilized during antiquity for the fabrication of luxurious containers in the greater Gulf region as well as southern Iran.  More »

Chlorite is a distinctive gray-green stone that was utilized during antiquity for the fabrication of luxurious containers in the greater Gulf region as well as southern Iran. Excavations at the archeological site of Tepe Yaya, dated to the mid-third millennium B.C., in Iran unearthed the ruins of workshops where such vessels were discovered. As well, raw materials used for their manufacture, chlorite as well as steatite, quarried from the nearby hills were also present. On the island of Tarut, in the Gulf close to the Arabian coast, over six hundred complete and fragmentary vessels and weights have been unearthed. Because many partially formed objects foundon Tarutwerediscovered next to chunks of unworked chlorite, it has beensurmisedthatthisislandwasonceacenter of production for these works. ntercultural Style Chlorite Vase - X.0319Origin: Near East Circa: 3000 BCto2000BCCollection:Near Eastern Style:Intercultural Style Medium: Chlorite   « Less

After the death of Alexander the Great, his expansive empire was divided among three of his most loyal generals, with Seleucis assuming control of the eastern portion. The  More »

After the death of Alexander the Great, his expansive empire was divided among three of his most loyal generals, with Seleucis assuming control of the eastern portion. The Seleucid Dynasty was thereby established, following in the footsteps of the Persian, Assyrian, and Babylonian Empires, with its capitals at Antioch (in modern Syria) and Seleucia (in modern Iraq). However, as history has shown, maintaining calm and order over such a large territory, encompassing so many different cultures, proved difficult if not impossible. In 245 B.C., the Parthians revolted against the Seleucids under the leadership of Satrap Andragoras, igniting a civil war that would lead to further autonomy, despite the continued recognition of the Greek kings as their superiors. Although the Parthians had been mentioned in Assyrian text as early as the 7th Century B.C.,itwasnotuntiltheriseof Mithradates Ithatthewas Terracotta Amphorawith Two Handles - X.0474Origin: Central Asia Circa: 100 AD to 300 ADDimensions:4.50" (36.8cm) high Collection: Near Eastern Style: Parthian Medium: Glazed Terracotta   « Less

The Hittite Empire first emerged in central Anatolia in the 2nd millennium B.C. By 1340, they had become one of the dominant powers in Mesopotamia. Under King Suppiluliumas I  More »

The Hittite Empire first emerged in central Anatolia in the 2nd millennium B.C. By 1340, they had become one of the dominant powers in Mesopotamia. Under King Suppiluliumas I (c.Syrio-Hittite Bronze Sculpture of a Deity - X.0346 1380-c. 1346 BC), the empire reached its height. Except for a successful campaign in southwestern Anatolia, Suppiluliumas' military career was devoted to the establishment of a firm Hittite foothold in Syria. The struggle against the Egyptians for domination over Syria continued during the reign of Muwatallis (c. 1320-c. 1294 BC) culminating in one of the greatest battles of the ancient world, which took place at Kadesh on in 1299 BC. Although Ramses II claimed a great victory, the result was probably more even, leading towards an ultimate peace treaty, a mutual defense pact, and interdynastic marriages to seal the bond. Although much of Hittite civilization remains mysterious and lost to time, perhaps a picture of their greatness can be discerned if one considers that even Ramses the Great found it more beneficial to be their ally rather than their foe. Syrio-Hittite Bronze Origin: Syria Circa: 1500BCto1200BCDimensions:5"(12.7cm)high Collection:Near Easterntyle:Syrio-Hittite Medium: Bronze   « Less

Origin: Egypt Circa: 6000 BC to 4000 BC Collection: Egyptian Style: Neolithic Medium: Flint The creation of tools utilizing the natural environment is what distinguishes  More »

Origin: Egypt Circa: 6000 BC to 4000 BC Collection: Egyptian Style: Neolithic Medium: Flint The creation of tools utilizing the natural environment is what distinguishes man from animal. What was once created using stone, wood, and bone has, over the centuries, evolved into metalworking and modern-day plastics. But it is the earliest tools, those carved from stone, which allowed mankind to conquer the natural environment and to prosper. Holding this flint arrowhead in our hand, delicately carved to a fine point thousands of years ago, we are holding the nascent breath of civilization. Tools allowed mankind to utilize his natural setting to its fullest potential, to altar the surroundings to suite his needs, and to create his own collective habitats that would eventually evolve into great cities. An arrowhead head like this one, when tied securely to a wooden shaft, could have been used to fell a fleeing prey or to spear a fish. As well, the delicate serrated edge could be used to cut and prepare the meat for cooking. This stone arrowhead represents the innate human drive to altar the environment, to innovate, and to conquer. It is in these earliest tools that we are able to witness the birth of civilization. From such tools, mankind learned to carve stones and rocks into new shapes and forms that suited the needs of the people evolving from arrowheads to temples. - (N.1073)   « Less

Origin: Egypt Circa: 6000 BC to 4000 BC Collection: Egyptian Style: Neolithic Medium: Flint The creation of tools utilizing the natural environment is what distinguishes  More »

Origin: Egypt Circa: 6000 BC to 4000 BC Collection: Egyptian Style: Neolithic Medium: Flint The creation of tools utilizing the natural environment is what distinguishes man from animal. What was once created using stone, wood, and bone has, over the centuries, evolved into metalworking and modern-day plastics. But it is the earliest tools, those carved from stone, which allowed mankind to conquer the natural environment and to prosper. Holding this flint arrowhead in our hand, delicately carved to a fine point thousands of years ago, we are holding the nascent breath of civilization. Tools allowed mankind to utilize his natural setting to its fullest potential, to altar the surroundings to suite his needs, and to create his own collective habitats that would eventually evolve into great cities. An arrowhead head like this one, when tied securely to a wooden shaft, could have been used to fell a fleeing prey or to spear a fish. As well, the delicate serrated edge could be used to cut and prepare the meat for cooking. This stone arrowhead represents the innate human drive to altar the environment, to innovate, and to conquer. It is in these earliest tools that we are able to witness the birth of civilization. From such tools, mankind learned to carve stones and rocks into new shapes and forms that suited the needs of the people evolving from arrowheads to temples. - (N.1074)   « Less

Origin: Egypt Circa: 6000 BC to 4000 BC Collection: Egyptian Style: Neolithic Medium: Flint The creation of tools utilizing the natural environment is what distinguishes  More »

Origin: Egypt Circa: 6000 BC to 4000 BC Collection: Egyptian Style: Neolithic Medium: Flint The creation of tools utilizing the natural environment is what distinguishes man from animal. What was once created using stone, wood, and bone has, over the centuries, evolved into metalworking and modern-day plastics. But it is the earliest tools, those carved from stone, which allowed mankind to conquer the natural environment and to prosper. Holding this flint arrowhead in our hand, delicately carved to a fine point thousands of years ago, we are holding the nascent breath of civilization. Tools allowed mankind to utilize his natural setting to its fullest potential, to altar the surroundings to suite his needs, and to create his own collective habitats that would eventually evolve into great cities. An arrowhead head like this one, when tied securely to a wooden shaft, could have been used to fell a fleeing prey or to spear a fish. As well, the delicate serrated edge could be used to cut and prepare the meat for cooking. This stone arrowhead represents the innate human drive to altar the environment, to innovate, and to conquer. It is in these earliest tools that we are able to witness the birth of civilization. From such tools, mankind learned to carve stones and rocks into new shapes and forms that suited the needs of the people evolving from arrowheads to temples. - (N.1075)   « Less

The Amlash culture is known almost exclusively through the archaeological material that has emerged in recent decades. We know little about the people themselves, other than  More »

The Amlash culture is known almost exclusively through the archaeological material that has emerged in recent decades. We know little about the people themselves, other than the fact that they were highly skilled artists and artisans. Otherwise, it appears that this ancient culture once inhabited the mountainous regions bordering the Caspian Sea in the north of modern day Iran. According to the archaeological record, their culture appeared to reach its plateau during the 9th and 8th Centuries B.C. Although we are uncertain whether the population was native to the land or migrated from border regions, the subject matter of their art and pottery, which characteristically include themes relating to nature, is clearly linked to the art of their contemporary neighbors including the cultures of Luristan and Elam.Amlash Terracotta Rhyton-X.0356 Origin: Central Asia Circa: 900 BC to 800Near Eastern Style:Amlash Medium:Terracotta Condition: Extra Fine   « Less