CIRCA 4TH-5TH CENTURY A.D.

Details

A SASSANIAN PARCEL-GILT SILVER INSCRIBED BOWL
CIRCA 4TH-5TH CENTURY A.D.
The interior of the vessel decorated with a band of scrolling wave pattern below the thick rim, the centre with a large circle filled with smaller interlocking circles, probably drawn with a compass, giving the effect of flowers with six petals, the in-fill pattern consisting of fine dotted lines, an inscription derived from Aramaic incised around the top exterior edge of the vessel, perhaps giving the name of the owner and the weight of silver as 103 drachms
8 in. (20 cm.) diam.

Provenance

Formerly in a German private collection, 1974.

Special notice

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 15% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis. Please note that the lots of Iranian origin are subject to U.S. trade restrictions which currently prohibit the import into the United States. Similar restrictions may apply in other countries.

Lot Essay

Cf. G. Azarpay and W. B. Henning, 'A Hunting Scene on an Inscribed Sassanian Silver Vessel', Iranica Antiqua, VII, 1967, pp. 142-152, pls. XXXI-XXXIII, for a silver phiale with a similar inscription sharing the spelling for the ideogram for drachms, and the distinctive shape for the numeral 100. This vessel begins with two obscure words followed by "... made from silver weighing 105 drachms", similar to the bowl above.

Azarpay and Henning dated their vessel to the late 4th or early 5th Century A.D., partly on stylistic grounds and partly because this is the only period when the weight of the drachm was as high as 4.095 grams, the value calculated by comparing the statement in the inscription with the actual weight of the bowl. The bowl in this lot weighs 397 grams which calculates to approximately 99 drachms.

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