Central Asia, Bactria, ca. 2nd millennium BCE. A beautiful Bactrian vessel skillfully carved from banded alabaster of rich golden hues and mesmerizing wavy patterns in contrasting cream and almond brown. The elegant form is deceptively simple, with painstakingly carved concave walls rising from a flat base and resolving in a gently flared, flat rim. Alabaster is a material prized by sculptors, because its relative softness enables it to be readily carved. What's more, its translucency and luster provide a breathtaking aesthetic. A vessel like this one, so finely carved and made from coveted alabaster stone, was most likely made to be placed into a tomb to hold offerings and honor the deceased. Size: 5.375" in diameter x 3.25" H (13.7 cm x 8.3 cm)
Alabaster, a light-colored, calcareous stone quarried from the Iranian Plateau, had strong connections in the ancient world to religion and specifically the gods. For example, in the site of Kultepe-Kanes, a huge burial mound, there were many disc-shaped alabaster idols, naked alabaster goddesses, and lion figures. We also know that alabaster was a precious material, widely traded in the region from the 4th millennium BCE onward.
Provenance: ex-Quinn collection, Los Angeles, California, USA; ex-private London, England collection, acquired before 2000
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#161293
Condition
Barely distinguishable nick to outer side of rim in small area. Light scratches to base, commensurate with age. Otherwise, intact and impressively preserved.