BACTRIAN ALABASTER CHALICE
CENTRAL ASIA, C. LATE 3RD/EARLY 2ND MILLENNIUM B.C.
African & Oceanic Art, Natural History and Ancient Art
Auction: 30 July 2025 from 14:00 BST
Description
carved alabaster, standing on a tall stem on a conical foot, the cylindrical bowl tapering subtly and with an out turned rim
Dimensions
35.5cm tall
Provenance
Karim Grusenmeyer, Brussels
Private collection, Belgium, acquired from the above 1990s
Footnote
Though for centuries the societies of the Central Asian Bronze Age were regarded as marginal extensions of the great civilisations that surrounded them, especially those of Mesopotamia, the material culture of this region demonstrates otherwise.
Vessels such as the present example produced by the Bactrian (Oxus) Civilisation reveal a sophisticated society with advanced techniques and a rich artistic tradition. There was a mastery of the working of both soft and semi-precious stones, in particular lapis-lazuli, carnelian, steatite, and, as seen in the present example, alabaster.
Here we see how the stonecarver has achieved a distinct lightness of form and outline, altogether echoing the artistic finesse seen in the contemporary civilisations of ancient Egypt and the Near East.