Persian Achaemenid Silver Phiale w/ Face

Ancient Near East, Achaemenid Persian Empire, ca. 500 to 330 BCE. A 90% silver phiale, a special libation bowl used for holding wine, with a hollow, rounded, raised boss, known as an omphalos, in the center. The omphalos is thought to have symbolized the navel of the earth, the central point of power that all things revolved around. Fascinatingly, this omphalos features the relief face of a distinguished looking man with heavy eyebrows and thick, curling hair that frames his face. The lower part of the bowl features a raised, cross-like form around the face. Above that is a corseted neck that then flares outward into a wide, smooth mouth with an unpronounced rim. Size: 6.25" W x 1.6" H (15.9 cm x 4.1 cm); silver is 90%; total weight: 138.1 grams

Libation bowls, known as phiale, were used across a wide geographical area - from Greece to Tibet, throughout the ancient Near East and Central Asia. These shallow bowls for holding wine in ritual and ceremonial settings were made from many materials - glass, ceramic, and many kinds of metal. Royal vessels were made of precious metals, like this one. They functioned both as tableware and as wealth - they could be stored in the royal treasury or given as gifts to people they were hoping to influence.

Provenance: ex-private Downingtown, Pennsylvania, USA estate collection, before 1980

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#150977
Condition Report: The bowl has been expertly restored with approximately 75% original material, including the face omphalos. The restoration is well done and unobtrusive. Dark patina on surface that does not obscure the facial motif.