Sumerian Pottery Relief Panel w/ Figure on Wall

**First Time At Auction**

Ancient Near East, Mesopotamia, Sumer, ca. 2nd millennium BCE. A mold-formed pottery plaque with a raised frontal scene depicting a standing figure leaning against a wall, perhaps representing a king or important deity. The central figure stands tall above four squat, columnar figures with delineated legs to show his importance and power, and each figure is presented atop a tall, brick-and-mortar-patterned wall. Two tall figural columns flank the sides of the scene and stand with arms crossed in a similar manner as the central king. The size of the panel suggests that it was perhaps intended as a votive offering, though it could have been an important component of a personal household shrine. Size: 3.5" W x 2.875" H (8.9 cm x 7.3 cm); 3.625" H (9.2 cm) on included custom stand.

This piece has been tested using thermoluminescence (TL) analysis and has been found to be ancient and of the period stated. A full report will accompany purchase.

Provenance: private East Coast, USA collection; ex-William Froelich collection, New York, USA, collected in the 1970s

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.

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#143476
Condition Report: Minor chips and abrasions to obverse, peripheries, and verso, with softening to most details, a few stable fissures, and light encrustations. Nice earthen deposits throughout. TL drill holes on bottom and on top of verso.