Tel Brak / Middle Uruk Pottery Eye Idol
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Description
**Originally Listed At $400**
Ancient Near East, Tel Brak, modern day Syria, Middle Uruk Period, ca. 3700 to 3500 BCE. An intriguing, abstract terracotta figure with a broad, annular base, a conical body and an equally sized, flaring pair of round, open discs that act as the entirety of the face and are meant to symbolize eyes. 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 possess multiple sets of eyes and others have "children" - smaller eyes and body carved on the body of the larger idol. Wide eyes meant attentiveness to the gods in Mesopotamian art. Most of these figures were made of stone, with pottery items like this one being much rarer. Size: 3.5" L x 4" W x 5" H (8.9 cm x 10.2 cm x 12.7 cm)
Please note: items from Syria are not eligible for international shipping due to the US embargo on Syria.
Provenance: East Coast collection, New York Gallery, New York City, New York, USA, acquired before 2010
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.
We ship worldwide to most countries and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.
#177866
Ancient Near East, Tel Brak, modern day Syria, Middle Uruk Period, ca. 3700 to 3500 BCE. An intriguing, abstract terracotta figure with a broad, annular base, a conical body and an equally sized, flaring pair of round, open discs that act as the entirety of the face and are meant to symbolize eyes. 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 possess multiple sets of eyes and others have "children" - smaller eyes and body carved on the body of the larger idol. Wide eyes meant attentiveness to the gods in Mesopotamian art. Most of these figures were made of stone, with pottery items like this one being much rarer. Size: 3.5" L x 4" W x 5" H (8.9 cm x 10.2 cm x 12.7 cm)
Please note: items from Syria are not eligible for international shipping due to the US embargo on Syria.
Provenance: East Coast collection, New York Gallery, New York City, New York, USA, acquired before 2010
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.
We ship worldwide to most countries and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.
#177866
Condition
Nicks and abrasions to surface, commensurate with age, but otherwise intact and in overall excellent condition with rich earthen deposits. Old collection label on one side
Buyer's Premium
- 26.5%
Tel Brak / Middle Uruk Pottery Eye Idol
Estimate $700 - $1,050
8 bidders are watching this item.
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Item located in Louisville, CO, usOffers In-House Shipping
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