Rare Mesopotamian Tell Brak Stone Double Eye Idol

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Fine Antiquities | Ethnographica | Fine Art

By Artemis Gallery

May 19, 2022

Set Reminder 2022-05-19 10:00:00 2022-05-19 10:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : Fine Antiquities | Ethnographica | Fine Art https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/fine-antiquities-ethnographica-fine-art-9350
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• Lot Description
  Ancient Near East, The Levant, Tell Brak, Middle Uruk Period, ca. 3700 to 3500 BCE. A petite and abstract gray stone idol of conjoined figures carved with flat bodies surmounted by elliptical heads that each contain a pair of well defined, incised eyes under arched brows. Their bodies are plaque-like, square aside from sloping shoulders and a V-shaped depression carved below the head, giving the impression of a neckline. These idols were used for dedication to an all seeing god who watched over the populations of early Mesopotamia. They have been excavated from a building we call the Eye Temple; many are incised with multiple sets of eyes and other have "children" - smaller eyes and body carved on the body of the larger idol. Wide eyes meant attentiveness to the gods in Mesopotamian art, and the thought "two pairs of eyes are better than one" may have been applied to this intriguing pair! Size: 1.625" W x 1.375" H (4.1 cm x 3.5 cm); 2" H (5.1 cm) on included custom stand.
  
  These "eye idols" were named in the 1930s by the British archaeologist Max Mallowan when excavating at the Tell Brak mound, where he found hundreds of small anthropomorphic items of similar form to this one - a simplified body topped by huge discs for eyes and no other discernible facial features. He named the place where he found them "The Temple of the Eyes." Archaeologists believe that these idols were placed there as offerings, as wide eyes meant religious attentiveness and devotion to the gods in Mesopotamian art.
  
  Cf. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, accession number 51.59.6
  
  Provenance: private New York, New York, USA collection; ex-private Brooklyn, New York, USA collection, acquired from David Libert at Time Machine Gallery, Queens, New York, USA, auction #4, 2004
  
  All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
  
  A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
  
  PLEASE NOTE: Due to recent increases of shipments being seized by Australian & German customs (even for items with pre-UNESCO provenance), we will no longer ship most antiquities and ancient Chinese art to Australia & Germany. For categories of items that are acceptable to ship to Australia or Germany, please contact us directly or work with your local customs brokerage firm.
  
  Display stands not described as included/custom in the item description are for photography purposes only and will not be included with the item upon shipping.
  
  #170399

  Condition

  One head is repaired with visible break line from neck to shoulder as shown. Surface wear to bodies with chips and small losses as expected with age. Great preservation to incised eyes and light mineral deposits.
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