Ancient Near East, Mesopotamian or Assyrian, ca. 8th to 3rd century BCE. A remarkable stone pyxis presenting a flat base and impressively thin walls that rise and curve inward to a narrow rim above a deep basin. The exterior of the ancient vessel is elaborately decorated with 4 arch-like panels, each featuring an intricately sculpted vegetal design of swirling vines of grapes, leaves, and berries. A set of 4 petite, lug handles are equidistantly spaced just below the rim. An impressive vessel from ancient Mesopotamia! Size: 1.8" Diameter x 2.4" H (4.6 cm x 6.1 cm)

The pyxis form is found throughout the ancient Near East and the Classical world and was probably imported to the ancient Levant from Mycenaean Greece. These have been found in burial chambers beneath Tels, the settlement mounds common to this region, often alongside many other vessels - bowls, oil lamps, juglets, and flasks - some made nearby, others imported from Greece and the Greek South Italic colonies. These items remind us of the interconnected trade world of the ancient Mediterranean, and the rich cultural milieu of the past.

Provenance: East Coast collection, New York Gallery, New York City, New York, USA, acquired before 2010

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#142022

Losses to rim. Stable hairline fissure travels diagonally from rim to just below one handle. Expected nicks, and abrasions, commensurate with age. Chip to one handle. Otherwise, excellent with impressive remaining detail.