{"title":"Curated Objects for Your Office","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAt Sands of Time, we have a genuine fondness for smaller works, the kind that sit quietly on a desk and feel right at home there. A bronze fragment, an oil lamp, a carved seal, or a small sculptural form. Each one carries something that is hard to name but easy to feel: a presence shaped by thousands of years of human hands.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOn a desk, these pieces become something more than decorative, they become part of your living history. Something to reach for between calls, to turn over in your hands, or reflect upon during a quiet moment. They offer a small but meaningful pause, a shift in perspective, a gentle reminder that the work you do is part of something much greater.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"mx2101","title":"A Luristan Double Bell Pommel Bronze Sword, ca. 1000 - 800 BC","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis large Luristan bronze sword is an excellent example of the double bell-formed pommel style. \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eThe plain grip and elliptical open guard with squared shoulders secure the blade firmly in position around the shoulders and on the blade. Prominent blood channels follow the length of the narrow blade that tapers regularly with almost straight cutting edges to a point. According to Muscarella, laboratory examinations have demonstrated that each sword and its added units were hand-forged and not cast as one piece, although molds were probably used as forms for the details (Moorey 1971a, 318). That each sword was individually handcrafted is indicated by the fact that although all the attributes are very close in appearance and conform to a single design, no two seem to be alike in all details, in blade and hilt sizes and shapes, in weight, or in the sizes and proportions of the component units (Spence and Needler 1955, 15; Maryon et al. 1961, 175, 182; Damien 1962, 25ff.; Lefferts 1964, 59f.; Ternbach 1964, 47ff. ; France-Lanord 1969, 78, 82).\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIt is the austere perfection of line and proportion that makes this weapon so beautiful and so terrible. For related examples cf: Moorey, P.R.S. \"Catalogue of Ancient Persian Bronzes in the Ashmolean Museum\", #58 \u0026amp; 59 and Muscarella, O. \"Bronze and Iron, Ancient Near Eastern Artifacts in the Metropolitan Museum of Art\", item #166 and Mahoubian \"Art of Ancient Iran\" (1999) item #394. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition\u003c\/strong\u003e: Intact and in very good condition, a well-balanced weapon.  Presented on a museum-quality custom stand.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions\u003c\/strong\u003e: Length: 25 inches (63.5 cm)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProvenance\u003c\/strong\u003e: ex Axel Guttmann Collection, Germany, thereafter private Virginia collection.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Goldberg Auctions","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":32782096105543,"sku":"MX2101","price":4950.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0234\/5339\/products\/MX2101_2.jpg?v=1611005785"},{"product_id":"rb2010","title":"A decorated Roman Bronze Strigil, ca. 1st -2nd century CE","description":"\u003cp\u003eWhen viewing ancient athletic scenes, a basic \"kit\" was almost always included: a sponge, an aryballos, and a strigil. The strigil was a small, curved metal tool used extensively by the Greeks and Romans and considered essential for skin care. After covering the body with olive oil, it was used to scrape dirt and sweat from their bodies as part of the process of massage, cold or hot baths, exercise, or competitive games.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe curved handle allowed the strigil to be hung on a wall, together with the sponge and the aryballos containing the oil (see RB2102 aryballos), and they were often used in Roman baths. This strigil is a little more ornate than the usual utilitarian examples for it features a fine concave tapering blade, and is decorated on the handle and exterior of the blade with incised linear decoration, wavy lines, leaves, scrolls, and fish.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor a related example, see Metropolitan Museum of Art, Accession Number: \u003ca title=\"Bronze Strigil\" href=\"https:\/\/www.metmuseum.org\/art\/collection\/search\/246704\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e97.24\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e: Height: 10 3\/4 inches (27 cm)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition\u003c\/strong\u003e: Loss to the side of the handle that does not detract, otherwise intact and in very good condition overall. On museum-quality custom mount.\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProvenance\u003c\/strong\u003e: S. Zuckerman (1942-2017) collection, acquired from Tetragon, Portobello Road in the 1980s; and thence by descent to the present owner.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bonhams","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":39255924375623,"sku":"RB2010","price":4250.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0234\/5339\/files\/RB2010.png?v=1774064029"},{"product_id":"rs2001","title":"A Roman Marble Winged Lion-Griffin, ca. 1st - 2nd century CE","description":"\u003cp\u003eWith its head held erect in ever-watchful alertness, hooked beak gaping wide as if screaming a warning, this griffin is the perfect visual embodiment of its fearful mythological subject. These hybrid monsters with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle were inspired in classical Greco-Roman times by the descriptions of beaked quadruped dinosaur fossils in gold deposits of Central Asia. Symbol of divine power and authority, this majestic creature comes to life, rising from its great hind legs, the powerful musculature of its body rippling with enormous strength; its front paws curled, almost relaxed, hiding deadly talons. The eagle head held aloft, cocked to the left for the bright, keen eye to better observe the viewer, the great sickle-shaped wings with their ornate pattern of incised feathers, are raised, almost touching and ready to fly. There is a handsome crest on the long neck and a pronounced rounded forelock at the top of the head. \u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eAlthough carved in the round in white marble, the left side is unfinished and undoubtedly not intended for view, for it lacks the superb detailing and soft high sheen finish of the right. Despite this lack of definition, this complete composition signifies wealth and luxury, portraying a complex interplay of fierceness and resilient strength. \u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e Height: 4 1\/2 inches (11.43 cm), Length: 6 inches (15.2 cm)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Incomplete, with scattered areas of surface encrustation, losses to rear legs, front right paw, and tip of the left wing. Custom mounted on museum quality stand.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProvenance:\u003c\/strong\u003e Private Israeli collection assembled in the 1980s, thereafter with Sasson Gallery, Israel, 2000s, thereafter a private NYC collection.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Arte Primitivo","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":39308391645255,"sku":"RS2001","price":9500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0234\/5339\/products\/RS2001_8_edf514d5-790d-43da-a9ba-366c1f8822cd.jpg?v=1617940246"},{"product_id":"ps2101","title":"A fine Maya Stone Vulture Hacha, ca. 500 - 800 CE","description":"\u003cp class=\"p1\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eMesoamerican ballplayers wore protective gear called hachas, palmas, and yokes to protect their hips and abdomens from the impact of the game’s solid rubber ball. In painting and sculpture, the yoke is shown worn around the player’s hips, the palma or hacha attached at the front. Those used during active play were most likely made of wood or some other light material; stone versions such as this one were worn, if at all, during ballgame-related rituals, or placed on display. Given the distinctive design of each hacha, both those worn and those carved in stone may have served to identify teams or individuals.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe name hacha refers to the axe-like form of many examples(hacha is Spanish for axe), including the one seen here.  The form of these pieces is unique, with the back slightly wider than the front where the sides converge to a sharp point. Facial features and other details are carved in low relief, each side a mirror image of the other.\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e  \u003c\/span\u003eHere, the artist depicted a detailed rendering of the subject. Each head feather is carefully rendered individually, with increased depth of relief from front to back, mimicking how vulture feathers overlap in nature. The rounded form of the cheeks, the long curved open beak with the drilled nostril, and large recessed eye suggest the alertness of the bird as it spies and focuses on its prey.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions: \u003c\/strong\u003eHeight: 11 1\/4 inches (28.5 cm), Width: 8 inches (20.32 cm)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:  \u003c\/strong\u003e Excellent surface patina with minor loss to the lower base corner, and other small indicative signs of use that do not detract, otherwise the piece is intact and in excellent condition overall and mounted on a custom-built museum quality stand. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProvenance: \u003c\/strong\u003ePrivate Florida physician's collection, acquired from George Martinez, December 2003, who acquired it in the 1950s. With a copy of the provenance letter from George Martinez.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Arte Primitivo","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":39341683212359,"sku":"PS2101","price":8950.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0234\/5339\/products\/PS2101_3.jpg?v=1623342924"},{"product_id":"rb2106","title":"A Roman Bronze Figure of Lar, ca. 1st - 3rd century CE","description":"\u003cp\u003eSolid cast bronze figure of Lar, depicted with his right leg advanced, wearing boots, a short tunic pinned at the shoulders, and a mantle tied around his waist with the skirt and ties billowing behind. His head is slightly downturned to his right and his short, wavy locks are upswept. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLares were guardian deities in ancient Roman religion. Their origin is uncertain; they may have been hero-ancestors, guardians of the hearth, fields, boundaries, or fruitfulness, or an amalgamation of these. Lares were believed to observe, protect, and influence all that happened within the boundaries of their location or function\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition\u003c\/strong\u003e: Overall deep blue-green surface patina with scattered deposits that do not detract. Missing left forearm and right hand, left lower leg and foot, otherwise intact and in very good condition overall.  A very charming example.\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions\u003c\/strong\u003e: Height: 4 3\/4 inches (12.06 cm)\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProvenance\u003c\/strong\u003e: NYC collection acquired Bonhams, London, June 1997, lot 422.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Arte Primitivo","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":39384914034759,"sku":"RB2106","price":4950.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0234\/5339\/files\/RB2110.png?v=1774067165"},{"product_id":"an-impressive-andesite-human-trophy-head-costa-rica-ca-1000-1500-ce","title":"An impressive Andesite Human Trophy Head, Costa Rica, ca. 1000 - 1500 CE","description":"\u003cp\u003eDisembodied human heads are ubiquitous in the Pre-Columbian iconography of Costa Rica and neighboring areas of Panama. Accounts make it clear that indigenous peoples practiced taking and displaying human heads as trophies. In this volcanic stone example, the closed eyes and slack mouth suggest death, while the close-fitting cap of geometric design may be of fiber as the form suggests twisted cords or a rattan-like material. It was thought that taking trophy heads was the direct result of warfare undertaken by warriors over conflicts about territory, material resources and\/or leadership.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHowever, there was another significant dimension to warfare—the magical and the supernatural, whereby decapitation may have been viewed as a necessary evil for combating the adverse effects of sorcery (Hoopes 2007). Usekars (wizards) were powerful religious practitioners who defended their communities against sorcery and were themselves capable of casting harmful spells. As late as the nineteenth century, the Bribri usekars of eastern Costa Rica organized revenge-motivated raiding parties to kill and decapitate other sorcerers. However decapitation occurred, the prevalence of severed heads in ancient Costa Rican art indeed indicates particular beliefs regarding the potency of the head, diminishing the vitality of the individual's larger family, and increasing that of the head-taker.\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003ecf: Hoopes, John W. “Sorcery and the Taking of Trophy Heads in Ancient Costa Rica.” INTERDISCIPLINARY CONTRIBUTIONS TO ARCHAEOLOGY, pp. 444–480., doi:10.1007\/978-0-387-48303-0_17. \u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition: \u003c\/strong\u003eIntact and in excellent condition overall.  The marble display base is included with this object.\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e Length: 4 1\/2 inches (11.5 cm)\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProvenance:\u003c\/strong\u003e Mirtha Virginia de Perea (1929 - 2019) private collection of Costa Rican art. Mrs. de Perea spent her entire 48-year career with the Embassy of Costa Rica in Washington, DC, achieving the rank of Cultural Minister-Counselor and Consul after having started as a secretary. She was a devoted patron of the arts, promoting numerous local artists and sponsoring many cultural events throughout her career. She also amassed an impressive collection of Latin American art. After retiring in 1999, she became a US citizen and continued her support of the arts through her membership in the Women’s Committee of the Washington National Opera and other local groups.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mirtha V. Perea","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":39473501274183,"sku":"PS2105","price":1750.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0234\/5339\/products\/PS2105_2.jpg?v=1631203000"},{"product_id":"an-egyptian-bronze-oxyrhynchus-fish-late-period-ca-664-332-bce","title":"An Egyptian bronze Oxyrhynchus Fish, Late Period, ca. 664 - 332 BCE","description":"The distinctive appearance of this cast bronze fish, wearing a crown of cow horns and the sun disk, easily identifies it as the oxyrhynchus, a common African variety whose name means \"pointed nose.\" The oxyrhynchus is closely associated with the god Osiris, playing an integral role in the events leading up to the resurrection of the god. In the most complete account of the Osiris myth, recorded by the Greek Historian Plutarch in the first to second centuries AD, Osiris was dismembered by his vengeful brother, Seth. After Seth scattered the body parts throughout Egypt, Osiris's phallus was eaten by the oxyrhynchus. Despite its participation in the downfall of Osiris, the fish was considered sacred. The Roman author Aelian, writing in the second to third centuries AD, attested that fishermen took great pains to remove the oxyrhynchus from their nets, though tomb representations do show the fish being caught for food.\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe oxyrhynchus was also associated with the goddess Hathor and was frequently portrayed wearing her characteristic crown, as in this instance. During the Late period, there was a proliferation of small bronze images of deities presented as votive offerings in temples. The image often included a representation of the donor, as here, as additional proof of devotion. This fish was particularly sacred in the town of the same name, Oxyrhynchus (modern el-Behnasa), as well as at el-Omari, the site of a necropolis for mummified fish. It is possible that this figure was dedicated to such a cult center.\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Partial loss of the horned sun disk headdress, small loss to the lower reattached back fin but otherwise intact, with excellent incised details to the body and dorsal fin. A fine example.\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e Length: 6.3 inches (16 cm)\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProvenance:\u003c\/strong\u003e Private French collection of Dr. FH, acquired in the 1970s.","brand":"HVMC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":39489143701575,"sku":"EB2102","price":6500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0234\/5339\/files\/EB2102.png?v=1774064259"},{"product_id":"a-fine-luristan-bronze-short-sword-ca-1200-800-bce","title":"A fine Luristan Bronze Short Sword, ca. 1200 - 800 BCE","description":"This very fine bronze short sword was cast using the lost wax process, the double edge blade with square shoulders tapering to a sharp point, that joins a rectangular guard with a triple ring grip and crescent pommel. \u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReference:\u003c\/strong\u003e For related examples see: Moorey PRS, “Catalogue of Ancient Persian Bronzes in the Ashmolean Museum” (1971) pg. 80, fig. 56.\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Minor blade edge roughness portraying ancient usage, with beautiful overall deep blue-green patina and areas of encrustation.  The sword is intact and in excellent condition overall. A top-quality, beautiful example.\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e Length: 18 3\/8 inches (46.67 cm)\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProvenance\u003c\/strong\u003e: The Sheldon and Barbara Breitbart Collection of Ancient Art, ex. Christie's, NYC, Sale 8206 (1992), lot 186.","brand":"Steve Granitz","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":39762142036039,"sku":"MX2202","price":12000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0234\/5339\/products\/MX2202_2.jpg?v=1660744441"},{"product_id":"pp2116","title":"A Moche Stirrup Bottle with a Seated Man, ca. 200 - 400 CE","description":"\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eThis splendid red-brown ceramic stirrup bottle is finely rendered \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eby its artisan creator in the form of a man sitting with knees to chest and arms wrapped around his knees, his head turned slightly to the right, with long straight hair, wide eyes, bushy eyebrows, beaked nose, and large ears, wearing a striped poncho with his feet peeking out beneath, a stirrup spout attached at the back\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eWell before the rise of the Inca state in the fifteenth century, potters on Peru’s north coast produced great numbers of ceramic bottles in the shapes of humans, animals, plants, and imaginative combinations of these in the ceramic workshops associated with ritual centers between the Nepeña River in the south and the Piura Valley in the north. Many of these are notable for their descriptive accuracy, though we would not designate them as \u003cimg\u003eportraits.  However, for a few centuries in the mid-first millennium CE, artists of the Moche cultures excelled at the creation of “portrait vessels,” so-called for their striking apparent resemblance to specific individuals.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eThese vessels could take the form of a head or of a full body, as seen here, and were shaped into bowls, jars, or, most commonly, bottles. Many of these have a spout in the shape of a stirrup, a favored form for ritual vessels on the north coast of Peru for about 2,500 years, from at least the beginning of the first millennium BCE through the early colonial period. It is unclear what these vessels once contained, if anything, although it is commonly assumed that they were used to hold chicha, a type of maize beer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eRef: Joanne Pillsbury. “Moche Portrait Vessels.” In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http:\/\/www.metmuseum.org\/toah\/hd\/mphv\/hd_mphv.htm (September 2021)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:  \u003c\/strong\u003eHeight: 7 inches (17.7 cm) Width: 6 1\/4 inches (15.87 cm)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:  \u003c\/strong\u003eThe left foot is reattached, and a chip is on top of the left ear. With areas of surface deposits, overall intact and in good condition.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProvenance:  \u003c\/strong\u003ePrivate collection of Alan C. Lapiner (1933-1975), New York, to Veracruzana Inc, NYC in the 1960s. Thereafter Edward H. Merrin Gallery, 1970s.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Sands of Time Gallery","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44368946168111,"sku":"PP2116","price":3950.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0234\/5339\/files\/PP2116.jpg?v=1774065168"},{"product_id":"a-large-roman-legionnaire-pugio-dagger-roman-imperial-ca-2nd-3rd-century-ce","title":"A large Roman Legionnaire Pugio (Dagger), Roman Imperial, ca. 2nd - 3rd century CE","description":"This very large, impressive pugio (dagger) is hand forged from iron, and features the characteristic pronounced curved blade and a longitudinal channel on both sides defining a rib. Daggers, such as this example, would have carried an entirely organic grip of wood and a pommel most probably of bone. Such daggers have been found at German frontier forts.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLike the gladius (Roman short sword), the pugio is of Spanish origin, acclimated for Roman use. Usually of bronze or iron, it was sometimes highly decorated with ornate decorations of silver or gold with red enamel inlay on the scabbard and sometimes the hilt. It would have been hung on one of two military belts, or \u003cem\u003ecingulum\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cem\u003emilitare,\u003c\/em\u003e worn around the hips, the other holding the gladius on the opposite hip, a practice begun during the reign of Augustus. The pugio ceased to be issued at the end of the 1st century, but a larger form re-emerged during the 3rd century such as this example. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ecf: Coulston, J. C., Bishop, M. C. (1989). Roman Military Equipment. United Kingdom: Shire, pgs 163-165 fig. 104.4\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePublished\u003c\/strong\u003e: J. Eisenberg, Art of the Ancient World, 2010, no. 110.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition\u003c\/strong\u003e:  Intact and in excellent condition overall. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions\u003c\/strong\u003e: Length: 18 1\/8 inches (46 cm)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProvenance\u003c\/strong\u003e: collection of Axel Guttmann (1944-2001), Berlin, acquired in Munich in the 1990's, thereafter private Californian collection.","brand":"Steve Granitz","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44664225988911,"sku":"RX2213","price":20000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0234\/5339\/products\/RX2213_2.jpg?v=1678476268"},{"product_id":"rb2206","title":"A Roman Bronze Oil Lamp with Duck Head, Roman Imperial Period, ca. 2nd - 3rd century CE","description":"\u003cp class=\"p1\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe elongated form with three small filling holes, a fluted, nozzle, and a grooved shoulder, sitting on a small base. The handle attached at the back features a duck head terminal with a long closed beak, open eyes, and flared feathers at the neck and back.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:  \u003c\/strong\u003eLength:\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e  \u003c\/span\u003e5 3\/4 inches (14.7 cm)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:  \u003c\/strong\u003eOverall intact and in excellent condition.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProvenance:  \u003c\/strong\u003ePrivate Swiss collection, then by descent.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"David Cahn","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45401435603247,"sku":"RB2206","price":2500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0234\/5339\/files\/RB2206.png?v=1774064444"},{"product_id":"as2101","title":"A Chinese Grey Limestone Head of a Buddha, Shandong Province, Northern Qi dynasty, ca. 550 - 577 CE","description":"\u003cp class=\"p1\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe serene meditative expression of this sculpture, rendered through the sensitive carving style and harmonious curves, epitomizes the high quality achieved by stone carvers in the Qi Dynasty. \u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e  \u003c\/span\u003eThe oval face is accentuated with downcast eyes below gracefully arched eyebrows, the serene countenance centered with a pronounced long nose, above a bow-shaped mouth, the lips tenderly lifted at the corners in a beatific smile, and framed by a pair of long pendulous earlobes beneath hair neatly arranged in tight snail-shell curls over a subtle ushnisha, the mark of the Buddha’s transcendent wisdom.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBackground\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e  \u003c\/span\u003eIn the middle of the sixth century, many Indians and Persians were living in China, and Turks, who traveled on horseback through Central Asia to Persia (modern Iran), were in power north of the Great Wall. These influences transformed the figures at the enormous complex of Buddhist cave temples at North XiangtangShan from the linear abstraction of the Northern Wei style to a more rounded, three-dimensional one. This head may have belonged to a seated image of the Buddha. An almost geometric simplicity differentiates the sculpture from its Indian and Central Asian sources. The crisp, direct carving and almost mathematical perfection of this work is similar to those of images remaining at the site.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eFor related example see: Metropolian Museum of Art, accession number 2001.422.\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e  \u003c\/span\u003eThe museum notes: This head probably comes from Shandong or Hebei province. Many comparable examples were unearthed from the ruins of temples in Qingzhou, Shandong, in 1996, and in Linzhang, Hebei, in 2012.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:  \u003c\/strong\u003eHeight: 7 1\/4 inches (18.7 cm)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:  \u003c\/strong\u003eThe head is intact and in excellent condition overall, with a particularly good archeological surface that has not been over-cleaned.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProvenance:  \u003c\/strong\u003ePrivate Las Vegas, NV collection\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Sands of Time Ancient Art","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45403552940335,"sku":"AS2101","price":14950.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0234\/5339\/files\/AS2101_13.jpg?v=1774991780"},{"product_id":"rm2304","title":"A rare Roman Silver Medical Needle, Roman Imperial Period, ca. 1st -  2nd century CE","description":"\u003cp\u003eA rare silver needle, the rounded shaft tapering to a sharp point, a twisted handle with molded ring at the end. Eyeless needles were used for piercing and cauterizing and consequently, in addition to the cautery and cataract needle, would have been useful to the oculist in the treatment of opthalmic conditions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEarly Roman medicine was heavily based on religious and holistic practices, including prayers, chants, herbs, and charms. It wasn't until the late third century BC that Greek surgical practices and Greek doctors were brought to Rome. The military saw the first changes in medical practice, with the addition of permanent doctors, the establishment of military hospitals, and the widespread adoption of surgery. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eMedium:\u003c\/b\u003e Silver \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/b\u003e Length:\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e  \u003c\/span\u003e5 3\/8 inches (13.65 cm)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eCondition:\u003c\/b\u003e Intact and in very good condition overall, presented on a museum-quality custom mount. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eProvenance:\u003c\/b\u003e Private NYC collection, acquired from the NYC trade.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Arte Primitivo","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47034442383663,"sku":"RM2304","price":1750.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0234\/5339\/products\/a23ae4e4b36074218c1088a602f4e24d.jpg?v=1693890246"},{"product_id":"ps2303","title":"A fine Teotihuacan Obsidian Stone Mask, Early Classic Period, ca. 450 - 650 CE","description":"\u003cp class=\"p1\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThis fine mask showcases the craftsmanship and artistic skills of the ancient Teotihuacan civilization. The use of dark obsidian, a volcanic glass believed to hold supernatural properties, adds a unique and striking visual quality to this piece.\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e  \u003c\/span\u003eThe mask stands out for its geometric simplicity; the facial planes are crisply carved, reflecting a style that emphasizes clean lines and well-defined shapes, that embodies a concept of idealized beauty according to Teotihuacan aesthetics.\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e  Teotihuacan\u003c\/span\u003e artisans were skilled in capturing even the smallest nuances of facial features in their artworks which is evidenced here by the slender curved nose, subtletly modeled lips and the drilled eyes that once held inlays.\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e  \u003c\/span\u003eThese inlays could be made from various materials, such as shells, jade, or other precious stones, to create a contrasting effect against the dark obsidian, adding depth and detail to the eyes, and making them more lifelike and captivating. \u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eHolding deep cultural and ceremonial significance within Teotihuacan society, this mask was probably used in rituals, ceremonies, or even as a part of burial practices. The combination of geometric simplicity, idealized beauty, and intricate detailing showcases the Teotihuacan people's artistic sophistication and their ability to create captivating and symbolic artifacts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:  \u003c\/strong\u003eHeight: 6 inches (15.24 cm) \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:  \u003c\/strong\u003eGood weathered surface with minor erosion and small losses to the obsidian.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProvenance:  \u003c\/strong\u003ePrivate Florida collection acquired between 1968 - 1969 and then by descent.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Howard Nowes","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48109282459951,"sku":"PS2303","price":12000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0234\/5339\/files\/PS2303.png?v=1774067999"},{"product_id":"ea2303","title":"A large Egyptian Bronze Figure of Nephthys, Late - Ptolemaic Period, ca. 664 - 30 BCE","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis large, solid cast bronze standing female figure depicts the Egyptian goddess Nephthys, “Mistress of the House”, shown standing on an integrated plinth and wearing close-fitting sheath dress, a tripartite wig fronted by a uraeus and surmounted by a modius encircled with uraei, her arms held alongside her body. She has been mounted on an early, vintage wooden base, having a gold painted label: “Nephthys Sister of Isis”.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA member of the Great Ennead of Heliopolis in Egyptian mythology, Nephthys (in Egyptian, N bt-l;wt) was a daughter of Nut and Geb. As one of the four protectresses of the dead, Nephthys was a member of the family of Osiris, sister and helper of lsis and Osiris (to whom she bore Anubis), and sister-wife of Seth, the god of chaos and Osiris’s murderer and brother. She was typically paired with her sister Isis in funerary rites because of their role as protectors of the mummy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReference\u003c\/strong\u003e: \u003cbr\u003eAndrews, Carol, 1994. Amulets of Ancient Egypt. Austin: University of Texas. 19. \u003cbr\u003ePinch, Geraldine, 2002. Egyptian Mythology: A Guide to the Gods, Goddesses, and Traditions of Ancient Egypt. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 171-2. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eMedium:\u003c\/b\u003e Bronze \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/b\u003e Height: 7 7\/8 inches (20 cm); With tang: 8 5\/8 inches (21.9 cm) \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eCondition:\u003c\/b\u003e Overall scattered areas of blue-green surface patina on a deep brown ground. Missing the separately cast crown, otherwise intact and in very good condition overall. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eProvenance:\u003c\/b\u003e Old English collection, early 20th century, private Japanese collection, Christie's NY, December 7, 2000, lot 357, Michael Beech collection until 2020, private Virginia collection.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Richard Banks","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48636904210735,"sku":"EB2303","price":8500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0234\/5339\/files\/36d1b85684ce8a11da56b2ed98d756db_a07cff31-29a8-4815-9f34-ad497b4fc1ce.jpg?v=1707066901"},{"product_id":"mx2401","title":"A Luristan spike butted ceremonial axehead, Early Iron Age, ca. 1200 - 800 BCE","description":"\u003cp\u003ecast using the lost wax method; a spike-butted axehead, the short, cylindrical shaft tube with three cords across each side, leading to four short, thick spikes down the rear spine of the socket. The flaring blade has a convex cutting edge, is ridged on both long sides, and is finely decorated with an incised floral and geometric decoration on both sides.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eElaborate blades of this sort were used as parade weapons, as votives, and as attributes of cult statues. They may have been associated especially with the god Hadad.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eReference: \u003c\/b\u003eFor a similar example, see Mahboubian, “Art of Ancient Iran” (1997), 176, fig 191 and Moorey PRS, “Catalogue of Ancient Persian Bronzes in the Ashmolean Museum” (1971), 49-52, fig 16. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eMedium:\u003c\/b\u003e Bronze \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/b\u003e Length: 8 1\/8 inches (20.6 cm), Height: 2 1\/8 inches (5.4 cm) \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eCondition:  \u003c\/b\u003eThe axehead is intact and in very good condition overall.  Presented on original acrylic stand.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eProvenance:\u003c\/b\u003e Raymond A. Davis (1931 - 2018), California, private collection, acquired from Dean \u0026amp; Cook, Mountain Ranch CA, in November 7, 1992. Accompanied by a copy of the original invoice.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Robert Davis","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49725774889263,"sku":"MX2401","price":2500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0234\/5339\/files\/axe.png?v=1774058460"},{"product_id":"rb2504","title":"Roman Bronze Bust of Minerva , Roman Imperial Period, ca. 2nd Cent CE","description":"\u003cp\u003eA finely cast bronze bust of Minerva, Roman goddess of wisdom, war, and the arts, depicted wearing a crested Corinthian-style helmet pushed back atop her head. Her draped aegis is rendered with sharply incised folds and defined shoulder detailing. The facial features are elegantly modeled, showing stylized Hellenistic influence with almond-shaped eyes, a straight nose, and slightly parted lips. The helmet crest rises prominently behind the head.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBronze busts such as this were often used as decorative fittings, cult objects, or personal devotional items in domestic or civic contexts. The fine quality of casting and state of preservation suggest this was a valued object, likely associated with a shrine or larger ensemble. Minerva, the Roman counterpart of Athena, held a prominent place in Roman state religion. This representation emphasizes her martial aspect while retaining classical elegance, making it a compelling example of imperial Roman bronze work. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eMedium:\u003c\/b\u003e Bronze \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/b\u003e Size: 3 1\/4 inches high. + stand \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eCondition:\u003c\/b\u003e Fine condition. Well-preserved with smooth surfaces and a deep black patina. Minor surface wear and small casting imperfections consistent with age. Presented on a museum-quality custom mount. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eProvenance:\u003c\/b\u003e Ex Selim Dere Collection, New Jersey; acquired prior to 2000.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Palmyra Heritage Gallery","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51349108130095,"sku":"RB2504","price":4950.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0234\/5339\/files\/Minerva.png?v=1774058549"},{"product_id":"es2504","title":"An Egyptian Limestone Stele Fragment, New Kingdom, early 18th Dynasty, Reign of Ahhotep I (c. 1575-1530 BCE) - Amenhotep I (c. 1525-1504 BCE)","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis finely carved fragmentary upper section of a New Kingdom limestone stele depicts a deceased male figure seated before an offering table, participating in a traditional funeral banquet. He is dressed in a short wig, collar, and kilt and is positioned on a backrest in front of the offering table, which is adorned with numerous offerings. His right hand is extended toward the offerings, while his left hand, placed across his chest in a symbol of rebirth, holds a folded bolt of white linen. Linen represents purity and eternal life, underscoring the stele's function as a lasting invocation for remembrance and ritual nourishment.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe items have been arranged vertically atop the offering table to clearly display each type of food being offered. In this fragment, only the round and conical loaves of bread are visible; however, there would typically be other offerings, such as fruits, vegetables, and beverages like beer or wine. Food and drink offerings were common on these tables as they symbolized the nourishment provided to the deceased in the afterlife.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbove the scene is the remains of a large udjat (healing eye) symbol, further emphasizing the connection to protection and health in the afterlife. The fine quality of the carving reflects the sophisticated artistry of the 18th Dynasty.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn stele type see:  S. Guichard, Jean-François Champollion, Notice descriptive des monuments égyptiens du musée Charles X (Paris 2013), pp. 322-323 (N 234-C 83).\u003cbr\u003eA. Grimm \/ S. Schoske (eds.), In the Sign of the Moon. Egypt at the Beginning of the New Kingdom. Writings from the Egyptian Collection. Volume 7 (Munich 1999), cat. 46 and 47\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMedium:\u003c\/strong\u003e  Limestone\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e  Height:  6 1\/4 inches (16 cm) \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e  Fragmentary as described, featuring well-preserved relief carving, the surface with minor chips and losses consistent with age, that do not detract from the overall quality. Traces of the original polychrome remain visible.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProvenance:\u003c\/strong\u003e  Private German collection, acquired in 1980 from the Faust Art Gallery in Cologne.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gerhard Hirsch Nachfolger","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51513865011503,"sku":"ES2504","price":15000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0234\/5339\/files\/ES2504.png?v=1774063051"},{"product_id":"eb2502","title":"A good Egyptian Bronze Figure of Osiris, Late Period, ca. 664 - 332 BCE","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis exceptional bronze statue depicts the god Osiris in his characteristic mummiform pose, symbolizing his dominion over death, the afterlife, and resurrection. Standing with arms crossed over his chest, his hands emerge from beneath his robes holding the iconic crook and flail, symbols of divine kingship and fertility. These attributes reinforce Osiris’s role as both a ruler of the underworld and a god of resurrection, overseeing the balance between life, death, and renewal.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOsiris wears the atef crown, which features the white crown of Upper Egypt flanked by two ostrich feathers. This crown symbolizes sovereignty, balance, and divine protection. The uraeus, or cobra serpent, at the front and sides of the crown highlights his protective power and authority, signifying his ruling presence over both the living and the dead.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe statue’s braided divine beard signifies Osiris's immortality, as it is a common feature among gods in Egyptian art, marking him as a divine being above mortal rulers. His deep-set eyes, originally inlaid with precious stones, provide the figure with a lifelike quality, a reminder of his once-living reign as a king before his death and resurrection, making him a figure that bridges both realms of existence.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOsiris’s narrative is deeply intertwined with that of his wife and sister, Isis, one of the most celebrated deities in Egyptian mythology. After Osiris was murdered by his brother Set, it was Isis who used her wings to search for and recover his body, ultimately reassembling him. Their partnership and mutual reign further solidify Osiris’s connection to resurrection, life, and cosmic balance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMedium:\u003c\/strong\u003e  Bronze\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e  Height: 6 5\/8 inch (16.82 cm).  Height with base: 7 1\/2 inches (19 cm)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition: \u003c\/strong\u003eThe statue is intact and in very good condition overall, and features with a rich, green-brown patina.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProvenance:  \u003c\/strong\u003ePrivate NYC collection, acquired from Frishman Galleries, Tel Aviv, in the 1970s and then by descent.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Arte Primitivo","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51617568981295,"sku":"EB2502","price":7950.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0234\/5339\/files\/EB2502_3.jpg?v=1752167982"},{"product_id":"ps2502","title":"Guerrero Stone Crescent Disk with Monkey, ca. 400 - 100 BCE","description":"\u003cp\u003eA rare and finely carved crescent-shaped votive plaque from Guerrero, depicting a stylized monkey standing upright along the outer curve. The figure is shown in profile, with both paws resting on its hips and a long, curling tail that rises to touch the back of its head. Subtle incised geometric lines emphasize the body contours and facial features. The opposite face is smoothly finished, showing the fine workmanship of early Mezcala sculptors. The surface bears an attractive ancient patina with mineral encrustations, revealing age and authenticity. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMonkeys in Guerrero imagery are associated with sexual vitality, fertility, and renewal, a theme reinforced by their recurring appearance in ritual contexts. Crescent-shaped objects, such as this example, may have further echoed lunar or cyclical symbolism, linking the monkey’s creative energy to the rhythms of life, growth, and reproduction.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eMedium:\u003c\/b\u003e Basalt \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/b\u003e Length: 4 ½ in (11.4 cm) | Width: 3 in (7.6 cm) \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eCondition:\u003c\/b\u003e Professionally repaired from approximately six original fragments. One side displays stabilized surface crazing, a one-inch restored edge chip at the tail’s center, and two small restored surface flakes along the lower tail. Overall stable and visually cohesive. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eProvenance:\u003c\/b\u003e Samuel Dubiner Collection, Tel Aviv, Israel, acquired 1960s, then Barry Kernerman private collection, Toronto, and lastly private Florida collection.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Arte Primitivo, New York","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51996166848815,"sku":"PS2502","price":2500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0234\/5339\/files\/dbabd93cd083981eb5e373a180f52377.jpg?v=1762532048"},{"product_id":"es2505","title":"An Egyptian Limestone Family Plaque, Middle Kingdom, 12th Dynasty, ca. 1991 – 1786 BCE","description":"\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eThis small limestone group presents three standing figures carved in raised relief against a rectangular back slab. The arrangement shows a man at left and two women to his right, a composition typical of Middle Kingdom family groupings dedicated to sustaining the deceased in the afterlife. Although the surface is worn, the man is distinguishable by his striding pose and wrap-around long kilt, marking him as the primary individual commemorated. The two women, both shown wearing sheath dresses, stand with feet together and arms at their sides, each rendered with the slender proportions characteristic of the period. Such groupings express the interdependence between the deceased and household members who acted as ritual supporters in the mortuary sphere. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eThe base preserves traces of an offering formula, with the legible sections referencing “oxen,” “fowl,” and “sepulchral meals,” conventional provisions requested for the ka, or double, of the deceased. Notably, the text also appears to contain a partly preserved royal name tentatively identified as one of the three kings known as Senuseret (Sesostris). If this reading is correct, the plaque can be placed securely within the core of the 12th Dynasty.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eExcavated at Beni Hassan, an important necropolis known for its rock-cut tombs and distinctive local workshop traditions, the piece reflects the quiet intimacy of funerary sculpture from this area.  Despite surface weathering, the essential forms are intact, and the inscription preserves enough detail to confirm its function as a family offering monument.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMedium: \u003c\/strong\u003eLimestone\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e Height:  5 x 3 1\/8 x 4 1\/2 inches (12.7 x 8 x 11.43 cm)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Surface worn with some erosion of facial features and the edges of the figures. The inscription on the base is faint and mostly illegible. Surface deposits and abrasions throughout. Otherwise intact, stable, and in good condition overall.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProvenance:\u003c\/strong\u003e Thilo \u0026amp; Izora Steinschulte Collection, Virginia; acquired in 1975 from Susette Khayat, New York, whose notes mention it was unearthed initially at Beni Hasan, Middle Egypt. Accompanied by a copy of the original collector and dealer notes.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Nora Bernhardt","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52009504833839,"sku":"ES2505","price":15000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0234\/5339\/files\/ES2505.png?v=1774065795"},{"product_id":"ps2506","title":"A Published Olmec Jade Celt, Middle Pre-Classic Period: 900 - 300 BCE","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis finely carved jade celt represents a classic example of Middle Pre-Classic Olmec lapidary artistry. Worked from a high-quality green jade with good translucency, the celt follows the canonical elongated form, narrowing gently toward a single cutting edge. The maker achieved a balanced, symmetrical silhouette with subtle contouring along the sides, creating a tool that is both functional and aesthetically refined.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe surface shows the careful finishing for which Olmec jades are prized: long, deliberate abrasions, high polish, and an even, silky sheen that has matured into a warm beige patina through age and ritual handling. Such celts were more than utilitarian tools; they symbolized agricultural fertility, rulership, and the authority to mediate between the earthly and supernatural realms. Their placement in caches, burials, and ceremonial deposits is well documented, and published examples like this one provide important insight into early Mesoamerican belief systems and exchange networks for high-status jade.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis particular celt stands out for its elegant proportions, excellent preservation, notable exhibition, and publication history. The underside bears an old collection or inventory number (“GR1050”) applied in black ink, evidence of long-term curation and consistent with the piece’s documented history. Its inclusion in \u003cem\u003eThe Olmec World: Ritual and Rulership\u003c\/em\u003e exhibition at Princeton and the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, underscores its quality and its relevance to the broader corpus of known Olmec jade objects. Mounted on a custom bronze base, it presents as a striking and well-documented example of early jade working in Mesoamerica.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePublished\u003c\/strong\u003e: The Olmec World: Ritual and Rulership, The Art Museum, Princeton University, 1995, fig. 122.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eExhibited\u003c\/strong\u003e: The Olmec World: Ritual and Rulership, The Art Museum, Princeton University, December 16, 1995 – February 25, 1996. and Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, April 14 – June 9, 1996. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eMedium:\u003c\/b\u003e Jade \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/b\u003e Height: 5.5 ins (13.97 cm) \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eCondition:\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eThe object is intact and in excellent overall condition. Surfaces are well-preserved with minor age-related wear and an even beige patina. No structural damage, chips, cracks, or restorations are evident. An old collection number (“GR1050”) is present on the underside.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eProvenance:\u003c\/b\u003e Private New York collection, acquired from the Merrin Gallery, New York, 15 March 1989.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ars Historica Arqueologia","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52026243580207,"sku":"PS2506","price":3500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0234\/5339\/files\/52f1746fbb04dc3bb376efbfb6e6b865.jpg?v=1763276026"},{"product_id":"es2506","title":"A Published Amarna Sandstone Relief Fragment Depicting Merit-Aten Holding a Sistrum, Amarna Period, ca. 1379 – 1362 BCE,","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis sandstone relief fragment portrays Merit-Aten, eldest daughter of Pharaoh Akhenaten and Queen Nefertiti, and later Great Royal Wife of Pharaoh Semenkhkara, her brother.  The princess is delicately rendered in profile, wearing the side-lock of youth and displaying the distinctive elongated facial proportions characteristic of Amarna art. She raises a sistrum, the sacred rattle-like instrument traditionally played by women in temple rituals dedicated to Hathor and other deities, here appropriated to the royal cult of the Aten.  The carving preserves crisp facial contours and elegant linear modeling typical of court ateliers of the period.  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePrincesses are frequently depicted participating in ritual and courtly scenes during the Amarna era, often with musical instruments, reinforcing the centrality of the royal family in Aten worship. The subject’s youthful sidelock, attenuated features, and intimate devotional gesture are hallmarks of Amarna art. The presence of the sistrum emphasizes female participation in temple ritual and the reoriented devotional focus of the Akhenaten court. The treatment of the eye, lips, and jawline, as well as the delicate contouring of the cheek, aligns with workshop practices documented on reliefs associated with Hermopolis.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe association of the subject with Merit-Aten is supported by stylistic parallels to reliefs from Hermopolis. For comparanda, see G. Roeder, Amarna Reliefs from Hermopolis (1969, Hildesheim), plate A; the relief in the Brooklyn Museum, inv. no. 60.197.6; and J. D. Cooney, “Amarna Reliefs from Hermopolis” in American Collections.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePublished:\u003c\/strong\u003e  Charles Ede, \"Antiquities\" Catalog 107, (1977) object #15\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMedium:\u003c\/strong\u003e  Sandstone\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions: \u003c\/strong\u003e Width: 12 inches (30.5 cm), Height: 6 inches (15.24 cm)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e  Fragment from a larger piece as described, the relief is in very good condition, with a small area of restoration around the mouth.  There are traces of the original red, blue, and yellow polychrome remaining.  The relief has been custom-mounted on a wood mount, with Ede's collection sticker on the base, reading \"4703 \/ Egypt \/ Amarna Period.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProvenance:\u003c\/strong\u003e  Thilo and Izora Steinschulte private collection, VA, acquired in 1977 from Charles Ede, Ltd., London, (#E4703), then by descent. Accompanied by a copy of the original collector's paperwork and \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003edealer invoice.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Nora Bernhardt","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52045212221743,"sku":"ES2506","price":28000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0234\/5339\/files\/ES2506_4a.jpg?v=1763753132"},{"product_id":"at2501","title":"A Chinese Terracotta Head of a Horse, Han Dynasty, ca. 25 - 220 CE","description":"\u003cp\u003eA finely crafted terracotta head of a horse from the Han Dynasty is notable for its elegant, elongated features and vibrant pigments. Made of low-fired clay, the head is painted with Chinese red pigment, symbolizing good fortune, while traces of white pigment highlight the teeth. Yellow traces of a bridle adorn the face, enhancing the realism of the depiction. The horse's open mouth and flaring nostrils lend it a lifelike appearance, capturing the animal's grace and strength.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn ancient Chinese culture, horses were highly esteemed, second only to dragons in importance. Possessing horses symbolized high status, especially in the afterlife. This piece likely originated as part of a larger equine figure, intended for placement in a tomb during funeral rites. It served both as a symbol of status and as an aid to the spirit's passage to the afterlife, making it a captivating example of Han Dynasty artistry.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eMedium:\u003c\/b\u003e Terracotta \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/b\u003e Height: 8 1\/2 inches (22 cm) Width: 8 1\/2 inches (22 cm) \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eCondition:\u003c\/b\u003e The head, detached from the original body, is complete with minor restoration and extensive red pigment remaining (some patchiness from loss to the left side), and white pigment highlighting the teeth. Some scattered earthen deposits. Overall, it is in very good condition, a lovely example. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eProvenance:\u003c\/b\u003e Private Australian collection, acquired from Warwick Oakman, Tasmania, in 2004.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Colville Auctions, Hobart Australia","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52085748793647,"sku":"AT2501","price":5000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0234\/5339\/files\/horse-2.jpg?v=1774056735"},{"product_id":"pp2502","title":"A Published Moche Prisoner Effigy Vessel, ca. 500 - 800 CE","description":"\u003cp\u003eA powerful salmon-orange ceramic vessel modeled as a bound captive, shown seated with arms secured behind the back and a thick rope twisted tightly around the neck and chest. The figure wears a tall, slightly flared headdress painted in cream-white pigment, the same color used to highlight the eyes and the braided rope that cuts diagonally across the torso. Incised, linear decoration denotes the shirt and surface textile patterning, while the compact body posture reinforces the tension and vulnerability of his condition. The facial features are sensitively rendered, with careful attention given to the cheek line, nose, and almond-shaped eyes, producing a strikingly human presence.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis effigy belongs to the Moche tradition of portraying prisoners, warriors, and high-status captives—subjects deeply tied to ritual combat and the ceremonial extraction of blood used to nourish gods and maintain cosmic order. Vessels of this type likely functioned in funerary or ritual contexts, perhaps as symbolic offerings reflecting warfare, sacrifice, and elite authority. The restrained pose, bound limbs, and wide-eyed gaze evoke both submission and the ritual importance of captive bodies within Moche ideology.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNotes\u003c\/strong\u003e: This compelling effigy captures a moment suspended between power and surrender. The Moche ruled Peru’s north coast through warfare, ceremony, and spectacle, and captives like this one stood at the center of those rituals. Bound and wide-eyed, he becomes more than a portrait of defeat: he is a conduit between the earthly and divine. The braided rope and painted headdress mark him as someone of consequence, a worthy offering whose fate would nourish the gods and legitimize the authority of those who conquered him. To hold this vessel is to hold a fragment of that drama—an object shaped with intention, steeped in the belief that life, death, and rulership were inseparable. It is a rare and personal reminder of the human cost behind one of the ancient Andes’ most sophisticated civilizations. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eMedium:\u003c\/b\u003e Clay \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/b\u003e Height: 10 1\/4 inches (26 cm), Width: 5 1\/2 inches (14 cm) \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eCondition:\u003c\/b\u003e A 1 3\/4 inch professionally restored rim chip, with a shallow additional rim chip and a stable hairline below the right elbow. Otherwise intact and in very good condition overall, with original pigments preserved and surface deposits consistent with age. A large and impressive example. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eProvenance:\u003c\/b\u003e Collection of Walter J. Bray, Mantoloking, New Jersey, acquired 1960s and retained by the family by descent; Ex Fernandez-Leventhal Gallery, New York; Ex Harmer Rooke Galleries, New York, auction XXV, lot 72 (October 1986), accompanied by a copy of the auction listing.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Arte Primitivo","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52091496137007,"sku":"PP2502","price":3950.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0234\/5339\/files\/PP2502.jpg?v=1765039519"},{"product_id":"eb2508","title":"Egyptian Bronze Figure of a Cat, Third Intermediate Period, ca. 1069 - 945 BCE","description":"\u003cp\u003eSolid cast in the round using the lost wax method and elegantly proportioned, with naturalistic details, depicted seated with its forepaws together, its tail curving forward around the proper right side, the head with alert, erect ears, almond-shaped ears, and a defined nose.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBackground: The domesticated cat is probably associated more with ancient Egypt than any other culture in the world. It is most commonly associated with the goddess Bastet, whose cult center was at Bubastis in the Nile Delta. Bubastis became particularly important when its rulers ascended the Egyptian throne, forming the Twenty-second Dynasty, sometimes known as the 'Libyan Dynasty'. The rise of the importance of Bastet and the cat can probably be dated to this period. As with other creatures sacred to particular deities, it became very popular in the Late Period (664 - 332 BCE) to bury mummies of cats in special cemeteries as a sign of devotion to the goddess. Several cat cemeteries are known in Egypt.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReference\u003c\/strong\u003e:  J. Malek, The cat in ancient Egypt (London, The British Museum Press, 1993) J. Clutton-Brock, The British Museum book of cats (London, The British Museum Press, 2000) \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eMedium:\u003c\/b\u003e Bronze \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/b\u003e Height: 2 5\/8 inches (6.6 cm), Height with stand: 3 5\/8 inches (9 cm), Depth: 1 5\/8 inches (4 cm) \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e  The back tang is broken and now lost, and the surface is moderately to heavily oxidized.\u003c\/span\u003e The piece has been fitted to a custom wood base. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eProvenance:\u003c\/b\u003e Private Boston collection, acquired from Hurst Gallery in 2006. Accompanied by a copy of the sale invoice.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Rene Petrin","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52711309181231,"sku":"EB2508","price":7950.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0234\/5339\/files\/50bc692806b470a3e11332bd780fafea.jpg?v=1768517161"},{"product_id":"ps2508","title":"A Guerrero Greenstone Miniature Standing Figure, ca. 400 BCE - 100 CE","description":"\u003cp\u003eCarved from speckled greenstone and polished to a high shine, this miniature figure features a rotund body, slab legs and arms, a conical head with drilled eyes and slashed mouth. A drill hole at the back indicates it would have been worn as a talisman. A charming figure characteristic of the ancient Guerrero style. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eMedium:\u003c\/b\u003e Jadeite \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/b\u003e Height: 1 1\/2 inches (3.5 cm) \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eCondition:\u003c\/b\u003e Overall intact and in good condition. Custom mounted. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eProvenance:\u003c\/b\u003e Collection of Justin Kerr and Dicey Taylor, NYC, acquired 1970s - 1980s. Collection sticker with number '1521' on the back.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Arte Primitivo","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54568242118959,"sku":"PS2508","price":695.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0234\/5339\/files\/2702d88ef5a0a85afd4c9ba57ed9bce4.jpg?v=1772567521"},{"product_id":"rx2504","title":"A Roman Bronze Medical Cyathiscomele, Roman Imperial Period, ca.  1st - 2nd century CE","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis instrument consists of a long, thin handle with a narrow leaf-shaped spoon on one end and an olivary probe on the other, indicating its multifunctionality.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor pharmaceutical purposes, the spoon was used to remove medicines from their flasks, explaining the many different sizes of the spoon and handle. It might also have been used to mix ointments. For surgery Milne suggests it might have been used as a curette (1907: 62). There is also the possibility that it was applied in lithotomy operations to help remove stones from the urethra (Jackson 1994b: 181; Milne 1907: 62) and as cauteries to remove unhealthy tissue or bone (Braadbaart 1994: 54; Künzl 1983: 25-6; Milne 1907: 116-20). The olivary ends could be used in pharmaceutical procedures to mix ointments. It was also possible to use it to create a drip effect much like a modern eye-dropper by placing a piece of cloth soaked in a liquid medicament above the olivary end, and squeezing the cloth so that the ointment would slide down over the termination and drip onto the area in need of the medicine. As a surgical implement the olivary end could be used to explore fistula (Cels. 5. 28. 12 C) and for examining carious bone (Cels. 8. 2. 3).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReference: Milne, J. 1907. \"Surgical Instruments in Greek and Roman Times\". Oxford. Jackson, R. 1996. Eye Medicine in the Roman Empire. Aufstieg und Niedergang der romischen Welt. II. 37. 3. Berlin and New York: Walter de Gruyter, pp. 2,228-51. Braadbaart, S. 1994. Romeinse Medische Instrumenten, Geschiedenis der Geneeskunde, 1(5): 51-5. Künzl, E. 1983. Medizinische Instrumente aus Sepulkralfunden der römischen Kaiserzeit. Cologne: Rheinland Verlag GmbH. Celsus. De Medicina. W. G. Spencer (Trans.) 1971. (Loeb). Cambridge MA and London: Harvard University Press and William Heinemann Ltd. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eMedium:\u003c\/b\u003e Bronze \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/b\u003e Length: 4 1\/2 inches (11.43 cm) \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eCondition: \u003c\/b\u003eTwo very minor losses along the edge of the spoon that do not detract, otherwise intact and in very good condition overall.  Presented on a museum-quality custom mount.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eProvenance:   \u003c\/b\u003eCalifornia Private Collection, acquired in the 1970s and then by descent.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Sands of Time Gallery","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54568904327471,"sku":"RX2504","price":950.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0234\/5339\/files\/Medical.png?v=1774064752"},{"product_id":"pp2504","title":"A Published Maya Polychrome Tripod Plate with Muan Bird Deity, Classic Period, ca. 500 - 800 CE","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis exceptional polychrome tripod plate showcases a powerful supernatural bird, finely painted with confident line work and balanced composition in bold red, cream, and black hues. Dominating the center is the Moan (Muan) Bird, a powerful supernatural entity linked to night, prophecy, and the journey to the underworld. In Late Classic Maya cosmology, this bird is often seen as an embodiment of the Principal Bird Deity; the celestial ruler seated atop the world tree, presiding over creation, cosmic order, and the passage of time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith wings outstretched and its form defined by bold, curving lines, the bird commands the center of the plate. The bird is rendered in crisp profile, with a bold, hooked beak, a high crest, and scalloped wings that convey animation and divine authority. A saurian creature glides through underworld waters, distinguished by water-lily blossoms in the field. Encircling the central figure is a border of fish and stylized zoomorphic forms, evoking the black, reflective waters of the underworld. This band is more than decorative, as water creatures in Maya art often symbolize the primordial sea, the fertile yet dangerous realm from which all life emerged.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTogether, the iconography transforms the vessel into a layered cosmogram. Water lilies rise from black depths into bloom, serving as metaphors for rebirth, emergence, and transition. Saurian beings represent the living surface of the cosmic waters, bridging the worlds above and below. When paired with the celestial Moan Bird, the plate forms a vertical cosmogram: sky deity above, water-lily reptile at the surface, and the underworld below. In funerary placement, such vessels acted as portable maps of creation, securing rebirth and safe passage for the deceased.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlates of this distinction were crafted for the highest echelons of Maya society and used in feasts, gift exchanges, dedication ceremonies, or palace events where divine presence was summoned through visual symbolism.  Today, this vessel offers a rare window into the intellectual and spiritual world of the Classic Maya. Its composition forms a miniature cosmos, with the divine bird reigning at the universe's center and embodying the cycles of life, death, and renewal. The plate preserves a timeless narrative of celestial forces, world origins, and the sacred bird whose influence bridged night, sky, and the continuum of time. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePublished\u003c\/strong\u003e: Reents-Budet, Dorie, Joseph W. Ball, et al. Painting the Maya Universe: Royal Ceramics of the Classic Period. Durham: Duke University Museum of Art in association with Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 1994, p. 190, Fig. 5.30. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eMedium:\u003c\/b\u003e Ceramic \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/b\u003e Diameter: 12.625 ins (32.07 cm), Height: 3.625 ins (9.21 cm) \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eCondition:\u003c\/b\u003e Repaired from three large and three smaller original fragments, with cosmetic touchup following the break lines. The painted surface itself shows no large areas of overpainting and retains excellent preservation of original color and detail. Overall, the vessel is complete and in very good condition. An impressive and well-preserved example of Late Classic ceramic painting. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eProvenance:\u003c\/b\u003e From the distinguished collection of Justin Kerr and Dicey Taylor, New York City. Kerr, celebrated for pioneering rollout photography and for creating the comprehensive Maya Vase Database, assembled many of the finest examples of Classic Maya painted ceramics during the 1970s and early 1980s. Taylor, an art historian and curator, worked closely with Kerr in cataloguing and researching the collection, and the couple became well known for their scholarship and connoisseurship in Maya art. This piece was acquired prior to 1986 and retained in the Kerr-Taylor collection for decades. It is published as no. 1232 on Mayavase.com, as part of Kerr’s foundational photographic corpus that researchers and museums around the world use. Record K3125 indicates that this vessel originated in the Campeche area, most likely from the city of Calakmul, one of the largest and most influential Classic Maya capitals, with an estimated population of 50,000. Its combination of elegant calligraphy, balanced composition, and mythological iconography makes it an outstanding example of Late Classic Maya painting.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Arte Primitivo, New York","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55246895087919,"sku":"PP2504","price":12500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0234\/5339\/files\/PP2504_5.jpg?v=1773495699"},{"product_id":"pp2511","title":"An Olmec Buffware Bowl (Tecomate), ca. 1000 - 600 BCE","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis finely made bowl features a full, round shape with a wide mouth. Made of a kaolin-like clay, its walls are thin and burnished to a high gloss. Although undecorated, the pleasing color variation on the outer surface ranges from beige to grey to light brown and orange-red.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese early Olmec bowls typically have a globular shape with a small opening at the top. A potter carefully built the thin-walled vessels using a coil technique with a kaolin-like clay, and finishing them with a light-colored slip and burnishing the surface, which displays small pitted losses. The vessel type is known as a tecomate (“gourd”), named after the gourds that inspired its original form. Some of the earliest ceramic vessels in Mesoamerica took the form of gourds captured in the more durable material of fired clay. Tecomates were important receptacles for community feasts, and many were subsequently placed in burials as important funerary offerings.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor related example see Metropolitan Museum of Art, accession number: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.metmuseum.org\/art\/collection\/search\/318472\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Olmec Bowl\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003e2014.244.3\u003c\/a\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eMedium:\u003c\/b\u003e Clay \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/b\u003e Height: 3 3\/8 inches (8.5 cm), Width: 4 1\/4 inches (10.8 cm) \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eCondition:\u003c\/b\u003e Two small stable hairline cracks along the upper half of the body, and some expected surface pitting, otherwise intact and in very good condition. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eProvenance:\u003c\/b\u003e Private Florida collection. Ex. Barry Kernerman, Toronto, ex. Samuel Dubiner collection, Tel Aviv, Israel, acquired 1960’s.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Arte Primitivo, New York","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55453763567919,"sku":"PP2511","price":1200.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0234\/5339\/files\/PP2511_97428b17-92d7-4628-914c-8347004b61ac.jpg?v=1774063417"},{"product_id":"rs1905","title":"A Roman Limestone Fragment of a Horse Head, Roman Imperial Period, ca. 1st - 2nd century CE","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis finely carved fragment depicts the head of a horse in raised relief, likely from a larger funerary monument, possibly a sarcophagus. The sculptor has achieved a notable degree of naturalism within a compact format, emphasizing the animal's vitality through carefully articulated features. The wavy mane is indicated with rhythmic, shallow carving, while the eyes are deeply set and alert, lending an expressive intensity to the fragment. The flared nostrils and slightly parted mouth further reinforce a sense of movement and animation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe presence of a bridle, clearly delineated across the face, suggests domestication and control, a motif frequently associated with status, procession, or symbolic journeying in funerary contexts. The scale and carving technique indicate that this element was once part of a larger narrative or decorative program, now lost.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e Height: 1 3\/4 inches (4.44 cm), Length: 2 7\/8 inches (7.3 cm)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition: \u003c\/strong\u003eLoss to the right ear, and minor weathering to the surface but overall intact and in very good condition.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProvenance: \u003c\/strong\u003eAudrey Davies Gallery, London, prior to 1975, thereafter an NYC private collection.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Arte Primitivo","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55563119722799,"sku":"RS1905","price":2950.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0234\/5339\/files\/RS1905a_04bf06e3-15a3-4f0e-8c70-10493f0f27c0.jpg?v=1774049908"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0234\/5339\/collections\/PP2511_97428b17-92d7-4628-914c-8347004b61ac.jpg?v=1774064926","url":"https:\/\/sandsoftimedc.com\/en-de\/collections\/objects-for-your-office.oembed","provider":"Sands of Time Gallery","version":"1.0","type":"link"}