This elegant abstract figure was part of a cache discovered along the shores of Lake Van. Evoking the dawn of Western culture, it was originally an offering at the shrine of  More »

This elegant abstract figure was part of a cache discovered along the shores of Lake Van. Evoking the dawn of Western culture, it was originally an offering at the shrine of some powerful deity. Surprisingly modern in its stark simplicity, it almost certainly represents the person, an initiate to the cult, who gave it centuries ago as a gift to the god. It also served as an intaglio stamp, grasped in the hand and pressed into soft clay or wax to make multiple images. The design that adorns it probably stood in proxyformorecostlysacrifices.Perhapstheonlycluetoanncientlife,thishauntingvotiverecallshopes,dreamsandaspirationsthatareasoldascivilizationitself.-(D.0013)Votive Figure With An Intaglio D.0013Origin:Lake Van,Anatolia Circa:4000BCto3000BCDimensions:4.625"(11.7cm)highx1"(2.5cm)wide Collection:Near Eastern Style: Neolithic Medium: Dickite   « Less

This elegant abstract figure was part of a cache discovered along the shores of Lake Van. Evoking the dawn of Western culture, it was originally an offering at the shrine of  More »

This elegant abstract figure was part of a cache discovered along the shores of Lake Van. Evoking the dawn of Western culture, it was originally an offering at the shrine of some powerful deity. Surprisingly modern in its stark simplicity, it almost certainly represents the person, an initiate to the cult, who gave it centuries ago as a gift to the god. It also served as an intaglio stamp, grasped in the hand and pressed into soft clay or wax to make multiple images. The design that adorns it probably stood in proxyformorecostlysacrifices.Perhapstheonlycluetoanncientlife,thishauntingvotiverecallshopes,dreamsandaspirationsthatareasoldascivilizationitself.-(D.0013)Votive Figure With An Intaglio D.0013Origin:Lake Van,Anatolia Circa:4000BCto3000BCDimensions:4.625"(11.7cm)highx1"(2.5cm)wide Collection:Near Eastern Style: Neolithic Medium: Dickite   « Less

This elegant abstract figure was part of a cache discovered along the shores of Lake Van. Evoking the dawn of Western culture, it was originally an offering at the shrine of  More »

This elegant abstract figure was part of a cache discovered along the shores of Lake Van. Evoking the dawn of Western culture, it was originally an offering at the shrine of some powerful deity. Surprisingly modern in its stark simplicity, it almost certainly represents the person, an initiate to the cult, who gave it centuries ago as a gift to the god. It also served as an intaglio stamp, grasped in the hand and pressed into soft clay or wax to make multiple images. The design that adorns it probably stood in proxyformorecostlysacrifices.Perhapstheonlycluetoanncientlife,thishauntingvotiverecallshopes,dreamsandaspirationsthatareasoldascivilizationitself.-(D.0013)Votive Figure With An Intaglio D.0013Origin:Lake Van,Anatolia Circa:4000BCto3000BCDimensions:4.625"(11.7cm)highx1"(2.5cm)wide Collection:Near Eastern Style: Neolithic Medium: Dickite   « Less

A mysterious treasure from the dawnof Westerncivilization,thisstonevotivewasoffered thousands of years ago at the shrine of a powerful god. With acacheofrelatedartifacts, it  More »

A mysterious treasure from the dawnof Westerncivilization,thisstonevotivewasoffered thousands of years ago at the shrine of a powerful god. With acacheofrelatedartifacts, it was discovered along the shores of Lake Van in Turkey. The deity whose favor it soughtwasapparentlyanaturegod,associatedalsowithfertilityandrebirth Thissuperbstatue depicts a standing votary, carved in an elegantly simple fashion. His head, when seen in profile, becomes the body of a bird. In this ancient cult, the bird seems associatedwiththedeaofhesoul,perhapsatransformationintheafterlife.Theimageengravedonthebottomofthevotivedepictsaseatedidol.Pressedintosoftwaxorclay,itwouldhaveproducedmultipleimagestopleasetheheavens. The effect of this rare sculpture is powerfulandhaunting.Ittouchesachorddeepinthesoul,somethingancientbutnotcompletely forgotten. - (D.0023)Man/Bird Votive Figure with an Intaglio - D.0023Origin: Lake Van,Anatoli Circa:4000BCto3000BCDimensions:5.375(13.7cm)highx1(2.5cm)Collecton: Near Eastern Style: Neolithic Medium: Dickite   « Less

This elegant abstract figure was part of a cache discovered along the shores of Lake Van. Evoking the dawn of Western culture, it was originally an offering at the shrine of  More »

This elegant abstract figure was part of a cache discovered along the shores of Lake Van. Evoking the dawn of Western culture, it was originally an offering at the shrine of some powerful deity. Surprisingly modern in its stark simplicity, it almost certainly represents the person, an initiate to the cult, who gave it centuries ago as a gift to the god. It also served as an intaglio stamp, grasped in the hand and pressed into soft clay or wax to make multiple images. The design that adorns it probably stood in proxyformorecostlysacrifices.Perhapstheonlycluetoanncientlife,thishauntingvotiverecallshopes,dreamsandaspirationsthatareasoldascivilizationitself.-(D.0013)Votive Figure With An Intaglio D.0013Origin:Lake Van,Anatolia Circa:4000BCto3000BCDimensions:4.625"(11.7cm)highx1"(2.5cm)wide Collection:Near Eastern Style: Neolithic Medium: Dickite   « Less

This elegant abstract figure was part of a cache discovered along the shores of Lake Van. Evoking the dawn of Western culture, it was originally an offering at the shrine of  More »

This elegant abstract figure was part of a cache discovered along the shores of Lake Van. Evoking the dawn of Western culture, it was originally an offering at the shrine of some powerful deity. Surprisingly modern in its stark simplicity, it almost certainly represents the person, an initiate to the cult, who gave it centuries ago as a gift to the god. It also served as an intaglio stamp, grasped in the hand and pressed into soft clay or wax to make multiple images. The design that adorns it probably stood in proxyformorecostlysacrifices.Perhapstheonlycluetoanncientlife,thishauntingvotiverecallshopes,dreamsandaspirationsthatareasoldascivilizationitself.-(D.0013)Votive Figure With An Intaglio D.0013Origin:Lake Van,Anatolia Circa:4000BCto3000BCDimensions:4.625"(11.7cm)highx1"(2.5cm)wide Collection:Near Eastern Style: Neolithic Medium: Dickite   « Less

An ancient symbol ofpowerandstrength,thiscarvedbull’shead votive was offered thousands of years ago at a shrine of some powerful deity, perhaps a god of  More »

An ancient symbol ofpowerandstrength,thiscarvedbull’shead votive was offered thousands of years ago at a shrine of some powerful deity, perhaps a god of natureandfertility. With a cache of related artifacts, it was discoveredalong the shores of Lake Van in Turkey. With simple, abstract lines, the artist has captured the essence of the animal, believed by the ancients to be the most suitablesacrifice to please the heavens. The intaglio carvingdepictsaseated idol, and may have created multipleimagesinsoftclayorwax.Atokenof Westerncultureatitsdawn,thissplendidsealevokes a mysterious vanished world. - (D.0031)Bull's Head Votive Seal with an Intaglio - D.0031Origin: Lake Van, Anatolia Circa: 4000 BC to 3000 BCDimensions: 1.25" (3.2cm) high x 1.25" (3.2cm) wide x 2" (5.1cm) depth Collection: Near Eastern Style: Neolithic Medium: Dickite   « Less

Shaped like an abstract bird, this ancient with a cacheof similar artifacts along the shoresof Lake Van.Evokingthedawnof Westernculture,theseapparentlywereofferingsatthe  More »

Shaped like an abstract bird, this ancient with a cacheof similar artifacts along the shoresof Lake Van.Evokingthedawnof Westernculture,theseapparentlywereofferingsatthe adorns them—of birds, animals,seatedidols—probablystoodin proxy for more costlysacrifices.Pressedntosoftclayorwax,theywouldhavecreatedmultipleimagestowinthefavor of the god. It is possible that the bird, a recurring motif, was associated with the idea of thesoul.Carvedwith abstract simplicity but an observant eye toward nature, the stark visual appeal of this piece is timeless. These seals represent dreams, hopes and aspirations for health, success, and happiness that are as old as civilization itself. - (D.0034)Bird Effigy Votive Seal With An Intaglio - D.0034Origin: Lake Van, Anatolia Circa: 4000 BC to 3000 BCDimensions:2.25"(5.7cm)highx3.25"(8.3cm)wide Collection: Near Eastern Style: Neolithic Medium: Dickite   « Less

This ancient votive seal was discovered with a cache of similar artifacts along the shores of Lake Van. Evoking the dawn of Western culture, these apparently were offerings  More »

This ancient votive seal was discovered with a cache of similar artifacts along the shores of Lake Van. Evoking the dawn of Western culture, these apparently were offerings at the shrine of some powerful nature god. The design that adorns them—of birds, animals, seated idols—probably stood in proxy for more costly sacrifices. Pressed into soft clay or wax, they would have created multiple images to win the favor of the god. It is possible that the bird, a recurring motif, was associated with the idea of the soul. Carved with abstract simplicity but an observant eye toward nature, the stark visual appeal of this piece is timeless. These seals represent dreams, hopes and aspirations for health, success, and happiness that are as old as civilization itself. -(D.0035)Bird Effigy Votive Seal With An Intaglio - D.0035Origin: Lake Van, Anatolia Circa: 4000 BC to 3000 BC Dimensions: 1.875" (4.8cm) high x 1.25" (3.2cm) wide Collection:Near Eastern Style:Neolithic Medium: Dickite   « Less

This ancient votive seal was discovered with a cache of similarartifactsalongtheshoresof Lake Van.Evokingthedawnof  More »

This ancient votive seal was discovered with a cache of similarartifactsalongtheshoresof Lake Van.Evokingthedawnof Westernculture,theseapparentlywereofferingsattheshrineofsomepowerfulnaturegod.Thedesignthatadorns them—of birds, animals, seated idols—probably stood in proxy for more costly sacrifices. Pressed into soft clay or wax, they would have created multiple images to win the favor of the god. It is possible that the bird, a recurring motif, was associated with the idea of the soul. Carved with abstract simplicity but an observant eye toward nature, the stark visual appeal of this piece is timeless. These seals represent dreams, hopes and aspirations for health, success, and happiness that are as old as civilization itself. -(D.0035)Bird Effigy Votive Seal With An Intaglio - D.0035Origin: Lake Van, Anatolia Circa: 4000 BC to 3000 BCDimensions:1.875"(4.8cm)highx1.25"(3.2cm)wide Collection:Near Eastern Style:Neolithic Medium: Dickite   « Less