Ancient Greece, Cyclades, Cycladic culture, Early Cycladic II, ca. 2800 to 2500 BCE. A beautiful dish skillfully hand-carved from smooth alabaster to present a narrow, concave base and thick walls that gently rise to a circular, lipped rim over a shallow basin. Note the gorgeous natural hues of honey, peach, cream, and butterscotch that dance across the smooth surface of this elegant vessel. Size: 4.75" in diameter x 1.5" H (12.1 cm x 3.8 cm)
Alabaster, which is a form of gypsum or calcite - both soft to carve and smooth, was quarried along the length of the Nile, from Giza to just south of Luxor, and the Egyptians made carved alabaster pieces famous throughout the ancient world. The Egyptians were master carvers and used the abundant stone deposits in the Nile Valley and the Eastern Sahara throughout their history to fashion sculptures, vessels, and monumental buildings that were admired throughout the ancient world. The perfect symmetry of this example demonstrates their skill. The piece was drilled into, and then special tools were used to expand the drilled-upon areas, allowing the walls of the vessel to illuminate when light passes through the stone.
Display stand shown in photos is for photography purposes only.
Provenance: private East Coast collection, New York Gallery, New York City, New York, USA, acquired before 2010
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#143495
Condition
Some natural pitting to stone. Stable hairline fissure to periphery. Some nicks, scratches, and abrasions throughout. Otherwise, intact and excellent with rich encrustations.