At the height of the Nabatean Empire, this elegant bowl might have held an offering of food or wine. Perhaps it was left as a gift at the shrine of some powerful deity. As we  More »

At the height of the Nabatean Empire, this elegant bowl might have held an offering of food or wine. Perhaps it was left as a gift at the shrine of some powerful deity. As we hold it in our hands today, admiring its simple beauty, we are aware of the touch of other hands long ago. Who might have held it when it was new? Were the dreams and emotions that guided their lives so very different from our own? The vessel's graceful unadorned shape appeals as much to the contemporary eye as it did to the culture that created it. Such artifacts, ordinary enough in their own age, connect us in an intimate way with the world of the past. In its presence, we cross the bridge of time and set the imagination on a journey of discovery. - (PF.1712)   « Less

Throughout history, in almost every ancient culture, the spindle whorl has been a common domestic object. Elegant and abstract, these little objects were used to weight wool  More »

Throughout history, in almost every ancient culture, the spindle whorl has been a common domestic object. Elegant and abstract, these little objects were used to weight wool while it was being spun into thread. Common to most every civilization, these charming weights were often buried as a grave gift with their owners. Though their shape tended to remain uniform, spindle whorls can be found in a variety of materials including stone, bronze, gold, glass and bone. In Rome, even the most respectable women carded and spun wool; it was considered the duty of a good matron. Spindle whorls are still used today in parts of Eastern Europe and the Middle East. We can imagine this whorl dancing through the fingers of a beautiful woman as she laughed and gossiped with her friends. From such an artifact, handled on a daily basis by an ancient life, we are placed in intimate touch with a vanished age. - (GF.0300)   « Less

Throughout history, in almost every ancient culture, the spindle whorl has been a common domestic object. Elegant and abstract, these little objects were used to weight wool  More »

Throughout history, in almost every ancient culture, the spindle whorl has been a common domestic object. Elegant and abstract, these little objects were used to weight wool while it was being spun into thread. Common to most every civilization, these charming weights were often buried as a grave gift with their owners. Though their shape tended to remain uniform, spindle whorls can be found in a variety of materials including stone, bronze, gold, glass and bone. In Rome, even the most respectable women carded and spun wool; it was considered the duty of a good matron. Spindle whorls are still used today in parts of Eastern Europe and the Middle East. We can imagine this whorl dancing through the fingers of a beautiful woman as she laughed and gossiped with her friends. From such an artifact, handled on a daily basis by an ancient life, we are placed in intimate touch with a vanished age. - (GF.0302)   « Less

Origin: Eastern Mediterranean Circa: 300 AD to 400 AD Dimensions: 4.5" (11.4cm) high Collection: Biblical Antiquities Style: Late Roman Medium: Glass

Origin: Eastern Mediterranean Circa: 300 AD to 400 AD Dimensions: 4.5" (11.4cm) high Collection: Biblical Antiquities Style: Late Roman Medium: Glass   « Less

This ancient glass spindle whirl was used for weaving. - (FJ.1551d)

This ancient glass spindle whirl was used for weaving. - (FJ.1551d)   « Less

A lamp such as this might have lit homes when the Roman Empire ruled the world. A metaphor of joy and prosperity, for hope, for life itself, lamps have illuminated the path  More »

A lamp such as this might have lit homes when the Roman Empire ruled the world. A metaphor of joy and prosperity, for hope, for life itself, lamps have illuminated the path of civilization for centuries. They have guided great thoughts through the night, stood vigil with lonely passions. In the presence of this simple object, we are in touch directly with a vanished world, with the people once warmed by its glow. Today it remains as an enduring symbol of man's desire to conquer the darkness. - (L.3013)   « Less

This simple little lamp burned brightly during the Golden Age of Rome. Holding a separate wick in each of its many side holes, with oil poured into the large center hole, it  More »

This simple little lamp burned brightly during the Golden Age of Rome. Holding a separate wick in each of its many side holes, with oil poured into the large center hole, it would have produced a considerable glow. It still bears the lampblack of those ancient flames. Who sat in its presence on some long ago evening, talking and laughing until the early hours? An enduring token of man's desire to bring light to the darkness. - (P.0509)   « Less

The graceful, simple lines of this emerald-hued jar are timelessly beautiful. We don't know what it once was filled with, or who might have held it and used its precious  More »

The graceful, simple lines of this emerald-hued jar are timelessly beautiful. We don't know what it once was filled with, or who might have held it and used its precious contents of oils or balm, but we do know that it has history, a past, touching upon long forgotten lives. The vessel only seems to be empty: It is filled to the top with the fragrant perfume of the imagination. - (FZ.186)   « Less

The curling horns on this abstract animal identify it as a ram, since earliest antiquity a favorite offering to the gods. With a looped handle and pouring spout, the vessel  More »

The curling horns on this abstract animal identify it as a ram, since earliest antiquity a favorite offering to the gods. With a looped handle and pouring spout, the vessel was probably meant to hold wine or oil, perhaps for ritual use. Did the people who touched it and tasted its contents so long ago pause as we do now to admire the way function and art have been blended? For a moment, we share that feeling, and our lives are linked across time. - (P.0203)   « Less

With lively humor and a few deft touches, the potter has given this carrying vessel the distinct personality of an alert and graceful animal. Its abstract lines raise it to  More »

With lively humor and a few deft touches, the potter has given this carrying vessel the distinct personality of an alert and graceful animal. Its abstract lines raise it to the level of sculpture, transcending the merely functional and giving it a timeless appeal. When we delight in its charm, we share that feeling with long-forgotten ancient lives. - (P.0366)   « Less