NEB009
Near Eastern bronze head of a bull.
2nd half 2nd Mill. BC.
L. 8.5 cm (3 3/8 in.).
Perfect condition. Dark brown and black patina. Round opening at the back part for mounting.
Sold
The bull’s head is modeled in a stylized way, with strong long lines and high ridges. The elongated head with a pair of short rounded horns, curved inward, a pair of short flat ears, a pair of big oval eyes framed in massive double lined eyebrows, and a small mouth under the nose. The nose is indicated by two circles, with a boss in the center. A third circle over the center of the nose continues in two lines along the sides of the head, joining again behind the horns. This may indicate an ornament or
the harness of the bull.
The outstanding style creates a powerful and strong expression of the
bull’s head. It may be compared with the Hittite style of North Syria and Anatolia, in the 2nd half of 2nd Mill. BC.
Cf. Hittite Silver rhytons: Muscarella, O. W., editor, Norbert Schimmel Collection, Jerusalem 1977, Mainz, 1974, fig. 123.
Hittite Silver rhytons: Muscarella, O. W., editor, Ancient Art. The Norbert Schimmel Collection, Exh. cat., Israel Museum, Jerusalem 1977.
Back to top
|
|
Click on any image to enlarge it.
  
|
