A Mesopotamian Agate Amulet of a Bird, Middle Bronze Age, ca. 2000 BCE

A finely carved amulet in the form of a stylized bird, worked from lustrous banded agate with natural ombre coloration ranging from pale honey to deeper amber, accentuated by reddish inclusions. The body is smoothly modeled with shallow incised grooves delineating the head, wings, and tail. The carving emphasizes elegant curves and minimalistic detail, characteristic of early Mesopotamian zoomorphic abstraction. Horizontally pierced for suspension, indicating use as a pendant.

Zoomorphic amulets were widely used in Sumerian ritual and daily life, with birds often symbolizing divine messengers or spiritual protection. The use of semi-precious stones, particularly agate, reflects both aesthetic preference and the object's high status. Likely served as a protective charm or status ornament in a funerary or domestic context.

Compare similar bird-shaped agate amulets from Early Dynastic levels at Ur and Kish (see Woolley, Ur Excavations, Vol. II, British Museum/Oxford University Press, 1934, pl. 107). Also see examples in the collection of the Vorderasiatisches Museum, Berlin, and the Iraq Museum, Baghdad.

Medium: Agate

Dimensions:  Length: 3 1/2 cm (1.37 inches)

Condition:  Missing the tail, and a few very minor chips to the surface, but overall intact and in good condition.

Provenance:  Private New York collection, acquired Christie's in the early 1990s.  Thereafter private Pennsylvania collection, acquired in 2020.

QUESTIONS? Just click the Contact Us tab on your right.