Tell Brak Alabaster Eye Idol

**Originally Listed At $800**

Ancient Near East, northeastern Syria, Tell Brak, Middle Uruk Period, ca. 4th millennium BCE. A hand-carved alabaster idol of an abstract form defined by a rough trapezoidal body, a delineated clavicle, and a narrow neck surmounted by an enormous pair of incised diamond-shaped eyes. Tell Brak was a major Mesopotamian city in northeastern Syria, located on a trade route between the Tigris River Valley north to Anatolia, the Euphrates, and the Mediterranean Sea. The most famous building excavated at this site was the "Temple of the Eyes," where thousands of figures made of stone with incised eyes have been found. Archaeologists believe that these idols were placed there as offerings, as wide eyes meant religious attentiveness and devotion to the gods in Mesopotamian art. Size: 1.125" W x 1.9" H (2.9 cm x 4.8 cm); 2.4" H (6.1 cm) on included custom stand.

Provenance: private New York, New York, USA collection; ex-private German collection, acquired before 2000

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#146352
Condition Report: Repaired from two large pieces, with small chips and light adhesive residue along break lines. Minor abrasions and nicks to front, back, and peripheries, with light encrustations within some recessed areas. Light earthen deposits throughout.