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Lot 3A
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Egyptian Pre-Dynastic Stone Acorn Vessel
Egyptian Pre-Dynastic Stone Acorn Vessel
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Description:

Ancient Egypt, Pre-Dynastic Period, late Naqada II to early Naqada III, ca. 3200 BCE. An elegant jar from pre-dynastic Egypt, hand-carved from pale-beige stone that has been smoothed to a uniform texture. The vessel is defined by its squat, acorn-shaped body, a rounded shoulder which traces up to a lightly-corseted neck line, a squat rim, and a drilled interior cavity, all atop a round but stable base. The lid slopes gently inward at a uniform angle, suggesting it at one time held a small lid. A fine example of early Egyptian artistry! Custom museum-quality display stand included. Size: 3" W x 3.4" H (7.6 cm x 8.6 cm); 3.7" H (9.4 cm) on included custom stand.

In the early Pre-Dynastic period, artisans hollowed out hard stone vessels using hand-held stone borders and abrasive desert sand. Then, during the Naqada II period (ca. 3600 to 3200 BCE), the invention of copper tubes used to drill very hard stone (in conjunction with sand as an abrasive), allowed people to drill finer forms - like the interior of this vessel. In the Naqada III period, people developed stone borers that allowed them to expand beyond a drilled channel, so the shape of this vessel suggests that its makers did not yet have access to that technology.

Provenance: private East Coast, USA collection; ex-Dr. Sid Port collection, California, USA, acquired in the 1980s

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#143877

  • Condition: Small area of restoration to rim with resurfacing and overpainting along break lines. Small chips to rim and base, with minor abrasions and light staining to body. Light earthen deposits throughout. Old inventory label on shoulder and inside rim.

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February 21, 2019 7:00 AM MST
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $299 $25
$300 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,000
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $25,000