Middle East - Idol with eyes - Tell Brak - 4th millennium...

Alabaster-eyed idol from Tell Brak consisting of a flat rectangular body, with a hollow at the top for the neck and surmounted by two almond-shaped eyes and carved eyebrows. Tell Brak was an important Mesopotamian city, located on a trade route linking the Tigris valley in northern Anatolia, the Euphrates, and the Mediterranean Sea. The site’s most famous excavated building is the “Temple of the Eyes,” where thousands of stone statues with incised eyes have been uncovered. Archaeologists believe these idols were placed there as offerings, because in Mesopotamian art large eyes symbolized religious attention and devotion to the gods. Dimensions: height 10.7 cm - width 7.8 cm Asia Minor, Anatolia, 4th millennium BCE Excellent state of preservation, some surface earthy deposits Provenance: United Kingdom, Pax Romana Previously: owned by a professional London-based collector, acquired in the 1970s. Piece examined by Dr. Ivan Bonchev, Doctor of Art History and Numismatics from the University of Oxford. Piece supplied with its certificate of expertise. The seller can prove that the lot was lawfully obtained, provenance declaration seen by Catawiki. Important information: The seller guarantees that they are authorized to sell/export this lot. The seller will ensure that the necessary permissions, such as an export licence, are organized. (Passport for a cultural object) The seller will inform the buyer of their status if this takes more than a few days. All items from the seller are shipped with insurance equal to the purchase price and come with an illustrated descriptive document noting the provenance.

Estimation:€3,100

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