In Israel, as in other ancient kingdoms, it was customary to dedicate persons or objects to sacred use by anointing them with oil. Thus Samuel anointed Saul king, as Moses  More »

In Israel, as in other ancient kingdoms, it was customary to dedicate persons or objects to sacred use by anointing them with oil. Thus Samuel anointed Saul king, as Moses had hallowed the tabernacle and Aaron the High Priest before, and Abraham had sanctified Isaac. A vessel such as this--simple but elegant--may have contained oil for ritual use. Whose hands might have held it so long ago we can only guess, yet the connection is a direct one between our age and theirs. - (SP.063)   « Less

The graceful form of this vessel make it as appealing to the modern eye as it no doubt was to the ancient age that created it. Looking at its elegant contours, we do not  More »

The graceful form of this vessel make it as appealing to the modern eye as it no doubt was to the ancient age that created it. Looking at its elegant contours, we do not doubt that its now-vanished contents--probably wine-- was of the finest quality. Today, its timeless beauty holds only the seductive fragrance of imagination. One whiff sends us traveling backward through time into a mysterious world. - (CK.0326)   « Less

Origin: Eastern Mediterranean Circa: 1900 BC to 1600 BC Dimensions: 19.5" (49.5cm) high x 14" (35.6cm) wide Collection: Biblical Antiquities Style: Middle Bronze Age Medium:  More »

Origin: Eastern Mediterranean Circa: 1900 BC to 1600 BC Dimensions: 19.5" (49.5cm) high x 14" (35.6cm) wide Collection: Biblical Antiquities Style: Middle Bronze Age Medium: Terracotta   « Less

Covered with bold triangles, this charming pyxis perhaps originally contained cosmetics such as kohl for the eyes. It links us in an intimate way with some ancient lives,  More »

Covered with bold triangles, this charming pyxis perhaps originally contained cosmetics such as kohl for the eyes. It links us in an intimate way with some ancient lives, otherwise long forgotten. Centuries ago, human hands shaped this vessel, decorated it, filled it with some commodity, sold it, purchased it, used it daily. We have no clue who those individuals were, except that they touched this pyxis. When we place our hands where theirs once rested, we become, if only for a brief moment, part of its history. - (P.0196)   « Less

Imagine the hand that, centuries ago, laid down the patterns on this flask with bold strokes, or the people through whose fingers it passed in Biblical times. The abstract  More »

Imagine the hand that, centuries ago, laid down the patterns on this flask with bold strokes, or the people through whose fingers it passed in Biblical times. The abstract geometry seems to convey the lively spirit of those ancient lives. We remember that these were individuals who laughed and sang, talked, argued and loved. In appearance they were similar to us, though their vision of the world was vastly different. This pot links us directly to that ancient era. Our hands rest where those of others did so long ago; the energy, the bond is there to be felt. - (P.0363)   « Less

So beautiful is this ancient vessel that it transcends the merely functional and becomes a work of art. Imagine the ancient hands that created it, and quickly etched its  More »

So beautiful is this ancient vessel that it transcends the merely functional and becomes a work of art. Imagine the ancient hands that created it, and quickly etched its surface with lines that seem to echo with spontaneous life. Imagine the hands that selected it in the marketplace, and later poured out its contents of oil. Such a jug is far more than shaped clay with the patina of centuries: it is a bond that ties us--if only for a moment--to those long vanished lives. - (P.0405)   « Less

At ancient religious festivals, a rattle such as this might have been shaken to attract the attention of heaven. Imagine it held in the hands of a worshiper centuries ago who  More »

At ancient religious festivals, a rattle such as this might have been shaken to attract the attention of heaven. Imagine it held in the hands of a worshiper centuries ago who blended its noise with that of a thousand like it to honor his gods. We hear also the drumbeats and the wail of the flute, a thousand voices raised in songs of praise, as the colorful procession moved around the courtyard of some vast temple complex. We hold it in our own hands as that person did so long ago and we wonder if its melancholy music reaches the ears of a deity the rest of the world has long since forgotten. - (P.0411)   « Less

Created during the time of the Hebrew patriarchs, just prior to Moses, this elegant vessel might have held a drink offering, or perhaps served as a pouring vessel, or  More »

Created during the time of the Hebrew patriarchs, just prior to Moses, this elegant vessel might have held a drink offering, or perhaps served as a pouring vessel, or decanter for water or wine. 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. - (SP.039)   « Less

Made of terracotta, this simple item would have held olive oil and probably a wick of plant fibers or textile, allowing it to provide light for a few hours perhaps. This lamp  More »

Made of terracotta, this simple item would have held olive oil and probably a wick of plant fibers or textile, allowing it to provide light for a few hours perhaps. This lamp of open-bowl design would later give way to more elaborate, enclosed lamps of the Hellenistic and Roman periods. A metaphor for joy and prosperity, for hope, for life itself, lamps have illuminated the path of civilization for centuries. They have shed light on mundane and extraordinary events alike, guiding great thoughts through the night, and standing vigil with lonely passions. In the presence of this simple object, we are in touch directly with a vanished world, with the rooms and shrines once warmed by its glow, with the people who drew comfort from its light. Today it remains as an enduring symbol of man's desire to conquer the darkness. - (L.0318)   « Less

Alabastron vessel featuring an elongated 'drop-shaped' body tapering upwards into a barely suggested shoulder and a contracted neck terminating into a heavily rimmed lip. Its  More »

Alabastron vessel featuring an elongated 'drop-shaped' body tapering upwards into a barely suggested shoulder and a contracted neck terminating into a heavily rimmed lip. Its vestigial lug handles placed just below the shoulder. A soothing, rhythmic motion in the grain of this alabastron grants it an undecorated simplicity that is extremely calming and aesthetically pleasing to the eyes. Dark flowing bands highlight softer creamy waves that form a harmonious natural horizontal pattern in the stone. The alabastron's carving has been perfected to a high degree revealing an unsurpassed natural beauty and technical excellence. despite its size and girth, the vessel has a delicacy that is brought about by the refined articulation of its profile. The dramatic tones and surface patterning enliven the vessel's surface to create a unique work of art.   « Less