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

Origin: Egypt Circa: 3 rd Century BC to 2 nd Century BC Dimensions: 37.5" (95.3cm) high x 12" (30.5cm) wide Collection: Egyptian Style: Ptolemaic Period Medium: Painted  More »

Origin: Egypt Circa: 3 rd Century BC to 2 nd Century BC Dimensions: 37.5" (95.3cm) high x 12" (30.5cm) wide Collection: Egyptian Style: Ptolemaic Period Medium: Painted Wood Following the death of Alexander the Great, his empire was divided between his three generals, each of whom set up their own kingdoms. One of them, Ptolemy, took Egypt as his share and made Alexandria his capital. Ruling as Ptolemy I Soter, he established the last dynasty to rule Egypt with the title of Pharaoh. For the next two and a half centuries, the Ptolemaic Dynasty of Greeks controlled Egypt, mingling Hellenic traditions with the mighty legacy of the Pharaohs. Isis was the bride of Osiris, the mother of Horus, the healer, the protector of women, the winged goddess able to grant immortality. The word, “Isis,” is actually the Greek version of her older Egyptian name, Aset or Eset, revealing that she remained a popular deity during the Ptolemaic period, associated with Demeter. The legend of Osiris states that his brother Seth, overcome by jealousy, murdered him and tore his body into fourteen parts, scattering them across Egypt. Isis traversed the land and gathered all the parts of his body. She then cast a spell that resurrected her deceased husband for one night, during which their child, Horus, was conceived. Thus, Isis was one of the central figures of Egyptian religion, the healer, the giver of life. - (X.0445)   « Less

Ptolemaic Period Marble Sculpture of a Recumbent Lion - X.0450 Origin: Egypt Circa: 336 BC to 30 BC Dimensions: 11" (27.9cm) high x 20" (50.8cm) wide Collection:  More »

Ptolemaic Period Marble Sculpture of a Recumbent Lion - X.0450 Origin: Egypt Circa: 336 BC to 30 BC Dimensions: 11" (27.9cm) high x 20" (50.8cm) wide Collection: Egyptian Style: Ptolemaic Period Medium: Marble   « 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

Egyptian Blue Glass Zoomorphic Figure - OF.207 Origin: Mediterranean Circa: 300 BC to 100 BC Dimensions: 1.9" (4.8cm) wide Collection: Egyptian Antiquities Style:  More »

Egyptian Blue Glass Zoomorphic Figure - OF.207 Origin: Mediterranean Circa: 300 BC to 100 BC Dimensions: 1.9" (4.8cm) wide Collection: Egyptian Antiquities Style: Ptolemaic Kingdom Medium: Glass   « 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

Wooden Loom Shuttle - SF.069 Origin: Egypt Circa: 300 BC to 100 BC Dimensions: 12" (30.5cm) high x 1.65" (4.2cm) wide Collection: Egyptian Style: Ptolemaic Medium: Wood

Wooden Loom Shuttle - SF.069 Origin: Egypt Circa: 300 BC to 100 BC Dimensions: 12" (30.5cm) high x 1.65" (4.2cm) wide Collection: Egyptian Style: Ptolemaic Medium: Wood   « Less

Origin: Egypt Circa: 304 BC to 30 BC Dimensions: 28 " (71.1cm) high Collection: Egyptian Style: Ptolemaic Period Medium: Wood The multiplicity of gods in the Ancient  More »

Origin: Egypt Circa: 304 BC to 30 BC Dimensions: 28 " (71.1cm) high Collection: Egyptian Style: Ptolemaic Period Medium: Wood The multiplicity of gods in the Ancient Egyptian pantheon frequently resulted in the merger of the identities of the different gods into one composite deity. Ptah-Sokar-Osiris is one such syncretic deity, combining the attributes of the three gods after whom he is named. Ptah, the creator god, is regarded as one of the greatest deities in the Egyptian pantheon. Ancient inscriptions describe him as “creator of the earth, father of the gods and all the being of this earth, father of beginnings.” He was regarded as the patron of metalworkers and artisans and as a mighty healer and is usually represented as a mummy. The main centre of his worship was in Memphis. Sokar, the “Adorned One,” was depicted in the form of a hawk-headed mummified man. Lord of darkness and death (in the sense of inertia), he presided over the Memphis necropolis and was sometimes viewed as an alternate form of Ptah before their identities were combined. By the end of the New Kingdom, the composite Ptah-Sokar had merged with yet another deity, Osiris, god of fertility, king of the dead, and ruler of eternity. The legend of Osiris states that his brother Seth, overcome by jealousy, murdered him and tore his body into fourteen parts, scattering them across Egypt. Isis, the faithful wife of Osiris, traversed the land and gathered all the parts of his body. She then cast a spell that resurrected her deceased husband for one night, during which their child, Horus, was conceived. Thus, Osiris was the central figure of Egyptian religion, the god who had triumphed over death and therefore offered the hope of rebirth and resurrection to all men.   « Less