|
HOME :
Near Eastern Art :
Miscellaneous : Votive Vessel With An Intaglio Of A Horned Animal
|
 |
|
|
|
Votive Vessel With An Intaglio Of A Horned Animal - D.0069
Origin: Lake Van, Anatolia
Circa: 4000
BC
to 3000
BC
Collection: Near Eastern
Medium: Dickite
Location: United States
|
|
|
| Description |
Shaped like an offering pot, this rare sculpture
was originally a votive gift at the shrine of some
powerful deity. With a cache of related objects, it
was discovered along the shores of Lake Van in
Armenia. The cult appears to have focused on
nature and fertility, and was perhaps concerned
with the afterlife. The intaglio image on the
base, depicting a horned goat or deer, may have
stood in proxy for a more costly sacrifice.
Pressed into soft wax or clay, the seal would
have created multiple images to please the god.
Elegantly shaped, appealing to both the eye and
the touch, this is a fascinating token from the
dawn of western culture.
- (D.0069)
|
| |
|
