**First Time At Auction**

Ancient Near East, Mesopotamia, Early Dynastic Sumer (Syria), Provincial type, Archaic Period, ca. 2800 to 2500 BCE. A lovely bifacial carved-stone stamp seal bead of rectangular form. Enveloped in mottled hues of deep grey and taupe, this fine stamp displays a lion on one side facing right with a long object projecting from its back and surrounded by garlands. The other side shows a skillfully sculpted image of a standing bull facing right with a sinuous tail and sizable curved horns, also enveloped by decorative garlands. A horizontal drill hole allowed this beautiful tool to be worn as a pendant, so that it would have been easily accessible. Size: 2.125" W x 2" H (5.4 cm x 5.1 cm); 3.5" H (8.9 cm) on included custom stand.

Provenance: private Zaveloff collection, Lakewood, New Jersey, USA, acquired from Venus Gallery, Israel, in 2002

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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.

#157626

Collection label on upper left corner of custom stand. Expected softening of detail, commensurate with age and use. Otherwise, intact and excellent with smooth peripheries.