Origin: Isreal Circa: 1500 BC to 1200 BC Collection: Biblical Style: Bronze Age Medium: Bronze

Origin: Isreal Circa: 1500 BC to 1200 BC Collection: Biblical Style: Bronze Age Medium: Bronze   « Less

This elegant figure pertains to the Sumerian civilisation, an extremely advanced and complex society situated in modern day Iraq. Lasting for some fourthousandyears,the  More »

This elegant figure pertains to the Sumerian civilisation, an extremely advanced and complex society situated in modern day Iraq. Lasting for some fourthousandyears,the Sumerians were among the first cultures todevelopmostofwhatwenowtakeforgranted, from complex economies to advanced record keeping,literature,internationaltradeand recorded mythologies. In terms of date, we know that it comes from a period known as the ate Uruktothelate Early Dynastic,whichisroughlycontemporarywiththe European Bronze Age. However,wealsohaveagreatdealmoreinformationtoaddcontext.Thanks to the Sumerian habit of recording everything on clay tablets using cuneiform – oneofthefirstcomplexwritingsystemswecaninferagreatdealaboutthesociety,andpostulate further on the significance of this figure. We know that Sumer was characterised by various city-states, running in competition with one another for wealthandconquest,whilesharingsimilarcharacteristicsandmaterialgoods.Theyusedslavelabour,basedaroundlargetemplesandpalaces,andwerekeentoformalliancesandthuspushouttheboundriesoftheirnationinto Central Asiaand Turkey.Theirtradenetworkswereextensive,andcoloniesof Sumerianpeopleshavebeenidentifiedallacrosstheregion.Rulewasbykingship;rulers varied considerable in their methods although extreme cruelty and martial law (such as that exercised under Eannatum of Lagash) was the exception rather than the rule. It is significant to note that many oftherulersof Sumeriancitystatesweredescribedaspriestkings”,whichhintsatthesignificanceofthepriestlyclassinancient Mesopotamia.Theempleswerethemainstayoflocaleconomies.Itwasherethatproducewasbroughtastax,legalproceedingscarriedoutanddealswerestruck.Recordsofthisperiodarealmostexclusivelywrittenbyscribeswholivedwithinthetemplewallsandworkedundertheauspicesoftheadministrators,whowerethemselvesundertheauthorityofthepriests.Itis,therefore,difficulttooverestimatetheimportanceofpriestsintheeyesofthecontemporarypopulation.Stone Sculpture of a Priest AM.0096Origin:Central Asia Circa:3000BCto2500BCDimensions:8(20.3cm)high Collection:Near Eastern Style:Sumerian Medium: Stone   « Less

Origin: Jericho, Israel Circa: 1500 BC to 1200 BC Dimensions: 3.125" (7.9cm) high Catalogue: V1 Collection: Biblical Style: Canaanite Medium: Bronze

Origin: Jericho, Israel Circa: 1500 BC to 1200 BC Dimensions: 3.125" (7.9cm) high Catalogue: V1 Collection: Biblical Style: Canaanite Medium: Bronze   « Less

Origin: Egypt Circa: 1600 BC to 1100 BC Collection: Egyptian Antiquities Style: New Kingdom Medium: Steatite By far the most important amulet in ancient Egypt was the  More »

Origin: Egypt Circa: 1600 BC to 1100 BC Collection: Egyptian Antiquities Style: New Kingdom Medium: Steatite By far the most important amulet in ancient Egypt was the scarab, symbolically as sacred to the Egyptians as the cross is to Christians. Based upon the dung beetle, this sacred creature forms a ball of dung around its semen and rolls it in a large ball over the sand dropping it into its burrow. The female lays her eggs on the ground and covers them with the excrement ball that is consumed by the larvae that emerge in the following days as if miraculously reborn. In the life cycle of the beetle, the Ancient Egyptians envisioned a microcosm of the daily rebirth of the sun. They imagined the ancient sun god Khepri was a great scarab beetle rolling the sun across the heavens. The scarab also became a symbol of the enduring human soul as well, hence its frequent appearance in funerary art. Scarabs of various materials form an important class of Egyptian antiquities. Though they first appeared in the late Old Kingdom (roughly 2575–2130 B.C.), scarabs remained rare until Middle Kingdom times (circa 1938-1600 B.C.) when they were fashioned in great numbers. While some were used as ornaments, others were purely amuletic in purpose. - (FJ.2718A)   « Less

Alabaster Reptilian Vessel - OF.127 Origin: Egypt Circa: 16 th Century BC to 11 th Century BC Dimensions: 4.5" (11.4cm) high x 5.8" (14.7cm) wide Collection: Egyptian  More »

Alabaster Reptilian Vessel - OF.127 Origin: Egypt Circa: 16 th Century BC to 11 th Century BC Dimensions: 4.5" (11.4cm) high x 5.8" (14.7cm) wide Collection: Egyptian Antiquities Style: New Kingdom Medium: Alasbaster   « Less

New Kingdom Stone Carinated Vase - FF.008 Origin: Egypt Circa: 1600 BC to 1100 BC Dimensions: 3.75" (9.5cm) high Collection: Egyptian Antiquities Style: New  More »

New Kingdom Stone Carinated Vase - FF.008 Origin: Egypt Circa: 1600 BC to 1100 BC Dimensions: 3.75" (9.5cm) high Collection: Egyptian Antiquities Style: New Kingdom Medium: Stone   « Less

Incised Stone Goblet - SF.087 Origin: Egypt Circa: 1600 BC to 1100 BC Dimensions: 4.90" (12.4cm) high x 3.30" (8.4cm) wide Collection: Egyptian Antiquities Style: New  More »

Incised Stone Goblet - SF.087 Origin: Egypt Circa: 1600 BC to 1100 BC Dimensions: 4.90" (12.4cm) high x 3.30" (8.4cm) wide Collection: Egyptian Antiquities Style: New Kingdom   « Less

Turquoise Frog - OS.017 Origin: Egypt Circa: 1500 BC to 1100 BC Collection: Egyptian Style: New Kingdom Medium: Turquoise

Turquoise Frog - OS.017 Origin: Egypt Circa: 1500 BC to 1100 BC Collection: Egyptian Style: New Kingdom Medium: Turquoise   « Less

Forasimilarexamplesee G.Markoeed,'Ancient Bronzes,Ceramicsand Seals,'(LA,1981),p.247,fig.1305.-(OF.132)Stylised Lion Spout OF.132Origin:Eastern Mediterranean  More »

Forasimilarexamplesee G.Markoeed,'Ancient Bronzes,Ceramicsand Seals,'(LA,1981),p.247,fig.1305.-(OF.132)Stylised Lion Spout OF.132Origin:Eastern Mediterranean Circa:900BCto700BCDimensions:1.5(3.8cm)highx4.6(11.7cm)wide Collection:Near Eastern Medium: Steatite   « Less

Egyptian Frog Effigy Vessel - SK.030 Origin: Egypt Circa: 1500 BC to 1100 BC Dimensions: 4.25 " (10.8cm) high x 10.5 " (26.7cm) wide Collection: Egyptian Style: New  More »

Egyptian Frog Effigy Vessel - SK.030 Origin: Egypt Circa: 1500 BC to 1100 BC Dimensions: 4.25 " (10.8cm) high x 10.5 " (26.7cm) wide Collection: Egyptian Style: New Kingdom Medium: Stone   « Less