**Originally Listed At $2000**

Central Asia, modern day Pakistan / Afghanistan, Bactria, late 2nd to early 1st millennium BCE. A beautiful stone idol or ritual object hand carved in a bat-shaped form. This intriguing object features a long columnar body that abruptly tapers near the bottom, a narrow neck, and a flat discoid base. Its dark grey form is naturally embellished with specks of white and silver, creating a luminous marbled effect. Stone idols like this one are known in a variety of forms; however, their true meaning is unknown because there are no surviving written records that explicate how they were used. Were they used as objects of worship, commerce, torture, or everyday use? Whatever the case, this is a wonderful example from early Bactria! Size: 2.75" W x 25" H (7 cm x 63.5 cm)

Provenance: private Los Angeles, California, USA collection, purchased between the 1980s to 2000s

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.

#159247

Large chip missing from top. Neck and base restored from separately carved stone. Surface wear commensurate with age, including chips, nicks, and scratches. Lovely earthen deposits throughout.