EARLY DYNASTIC IIIA, CIRCA 2550-2400 B.C.

Details

FIFTY-EIGHT SUMERIAN SHELL INLAYS
EARLY DYNASTIC IIIA, CIRCA 2550-2400 B.C.
Rectangular and trapezoidal in form, of varying sizes and thicknesses, incised with decorative motifs, including fifteen with single "eye" pattern, seven with double "eye" pattern and one with a triple "eye" pattern, each "eye" flanked by vertical bands, the pupils articulated; thirteen with a single standing male figure wearing kaunakes, with drapery over their left shoulder, eleven in left profile, five with short cropped hair (or a cap), holding an axe, four bald with his left arm at his chest, the right extended and raised before him, one with a staff held out, and one with only the feet preserved (with red hatching behind), and two in right profile, bald, holding an axe in the left hand, balancing an object on his head with his right, one a jug and one a basket; three seated figures, two in left profile in kaunakes, holding cups at their chest, one in right profile holding a cup, a stand with a bird finial before him; two with male figures seated in a boat in right profile and rowing, one with one figure, one with two figures; three with goats, two with bulls and one with a lion attacking a bull; two with a single figure handling a goat, and two figures each handling a goat, in preparation for a sacrifice, and one with a male leading a bull by a rope; one with two figures in procession to the left with their arms raised before them, one with three figures, a seated figure with a cup, a figure in adoration before him, a nude figure carrying a vase; and three with unidentifiable motifs; some preserving red and black pigment
Largest: 1½ in. (3.9 cm.) high

Provenance

with Elie Borowski, Basel, 1975.

Literature

G. Ligabue and G. Rossi-Osmida, et al., Sulla Via delle Oasis, Tesori dell'Oriente Antico, Trebaseleghe, 2007, pp. 280-281.

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Lot Essay

Engraved shell inlays were a popular decorative element during the Early Dynastic period in Mesopotamia. Typically, cut out pieces of white shell were engraved with figural and decorative patterns and were set into the background of another, darker material (often lapis lazuli or wood) to adorn luxury objects such as furniture or furnishings. The most famous example comes from the panel of the "Great Lyre", excavated from the Royal Tombs of Ur and now in the University Museum of the University of Pennsylvania (see no 3. in D. Hansen, "Art of the Royal Tombs of Ur: a Brief Interpretation" in R. Zettler and L. Horne, eds., Treasures of the Royal Tombs of Ur). Another lyre panel from the same Ur tombs (no. 5, Hansen, op. cit.), presents a banquet scene which includes many of the same figures as the present example, including the "eye" motif and the seated main figure with the tufted skirt (kaunakes), holding a banquet cup while attended to by a procession of standing acolytes.

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