Mesopotamian Lapis Lazuli, Stone, & Bone Eyes

Ancient Near East, Mesopotamia, ca. 2900 to 2250 BCE. A haunting pair of eyes boasting white sclerae hand-carved from the bone of an ungulate with inlays of black stone pegs forming the pupils. Each are encased on their sides and verso by a lapis lazuli stone of vibrant blue that has been hollowed out, forming eyelids. These would have been inlaid into a composite figure. As seeing was a major channel of communication with gods, eye inlays such as these may have been used in the composite figure of a worshipper to express the figure's admiration for a god and accentuate the awe-inspiring nature of that god. Enlarged eyes were also a conventional means of warding off evil in Mesopotamia, known today as an apotropaic device. Size of eyes (both about the same): 1.3" L x 0.9" W x 1" H (3.3 cm x 2.3 cm x 2.5 cm); (case): 4.8" L x 2.5" W x 1.7" H (12.2 cm x 6.4 cm x 4.3 cm)

Cf. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, accession number 62.70.84. A slightly larger Mesopotamian eye inlay made completely of stone was sold for $35,000 at Christie's New York as lot 78 in the "Antiquities" auction of June 4th, 2008 (live auction 2007).

Provenance: East Coast collection, New York Gallery, New York City, New York, USA, acquired before 2010

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#144211
Condition Report: Expected surface wear with some light abrasions commensurate with age. Otherwise, intact and excellent with rich earthen deposits. Accompanied by a rectangular, blue, leather case.