**Originally Listed At $2750**

Ancient Near East/Asia Minor, Anatolia, modern day Turkey/Armenia, Caucasus region, Urartu culture, ca. 7th century BCE. A gorgeous protome cast from bronze in the form of a highly stylized bull head. The bovine countenance presents with a wide, muscular neck of a hollow form that is filled with lead for stability, a downward-facing head with a thick snout, recessed orbitals that perhaps held inlays of shell or precious stones at one time, perky ears, and a pair of horns flanking an upturned coiffure. Two volute-shaped panels spiral down the sides of the neck before becoming conjoined with a horizontal collar, and a repeating register of zigzagging lines rings around the base of the neck. Two perforations along the base suggest this protome was intended to accentuate a larger object, perhaps a chariot or a sizable chest. Thick layers of russet and forest green patina cover the entire object in color. Size: 1.7" W x 2.875" H (4.3 cm x 7.3 cm)

Published: J. Eisenberg, Art of the Ancient World, vol. X, 1999, no. 253; vol. XXII (2011), no. 196. Cf. J. Eisenberg, Art of the Ancient World, Vol. IV, 1985, p. 155, no. 502.

This piece has been searched against the Art Loss Register database and has been cleared. The Art Loss Register maintains the world’s largest database of stolen art, collectibles, and antiques.

Provenance: ex-Royal Athena Gallery, New York, New York, USA, acquired in Paris, France in March 1996

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.

#165070

Minor abrasions and nicks to ears, horns, face, and neck, with light encrustations within some recessed areas, otherwise intact and excellent. Great patina throughout. Lead interior filling is still present with old inventory label written on base.