Although the scarab amulet was a uniquely Egyptian innovation, it soon became assimilated into many other cultures that were in contact with the Ancient Egyptians. Foremost  More »

Although the scarab amulet was a uniquely Egyptian innovation, it soon became assimilated into many other cultures that were in contact with the Ancient Egyptians. Foremost among them were the neighboring Phoenicians who inhabited the lands of modern Lebanon as well as widespread territories throughout the Mediterranean. The Phoenicians are believed to have been escendants of the ancient Canaanites, as both these cultures shared many of the same religious beliefs and social customs. The earliest excavated Phoenician scarabs date from the 8th century B.C. They were primarily used as intaglio seals and feature a broad range of scenes and styles including Egyptian motifs, native Phoenician and Syrian subjects, and subject matters that were derived from Greek art. A remarkable series of rich green jasper scarabs such as this one were produced in Phoenicia throughout the Persian Period, roughly from the late 6th to the middle of the 4th century B.C. Most of these green jasper scarabs have been unearthed in cemeteries of the Punic west, including Carthage as well as Sardinia and Ibiza. However, there are many indications that they originally came from the eastern homeland. Origin: Lebanon Circa: 6 th Century BC to 4 th Century BC Dimensions: 1.375" (3.5cm) high x 1" (2.5cm) wide Collection: Biblical Style: Phoenician Medium: Green Jasper   « Less

Aramaic is an ancient Semitic language that belongs to the Northwest line of Semitic languages. Known as early as the 9th Century B.C., Aramaic began as the language of the  More »

Aramaic is an ancient Semitic language that belongs to the Northwest line of Semitic languages. Known as early as the 9th Century B.C., Aramaic began as the language of the Aramaeans. Later, the language was adopted by many non-Aramaean peoples, including the Jew after the Babylonian exile. Eventually, Aramiac was used extensively throughout the Ancient Near East as the common tongue of merchants and governments. Although Aramaic and Hebrew are similar in vocabulary and pronunciation, there are enough differences to make the two languages distinct. Many important books of the Old and New Testament were composed in Aramaic, and the language is popularly believed to be the native tongue of Jesus. From the late 5th Century A.D. onwards, Aramaic supplanted Hebrew as the daily language of the Jews. For instance, the Gemara, the second division of the Talmud, was written entirely in Aramaic. Origin: Mesopotamia Circa: 3 rd Century AD to 5 th Century AD Dimensions: 2" (5.1cm) high x 13" (33.0cm) wide Collection: Biblical Style: Mandaic Medium: Lead Additional Information: Found in Jerusalem, Israel   « Less

The ancient kingdom of Saba ruled over the lands of southern Arabia, centered in modern day Yemen. Saba is perhaps better known as Sheba, the Hebrew word for the kingdom,  More »

The ancient kingdom of Saba ruled over the lands of southern Arabia, centered in modern day Yemen. Saba is perhaps better known as Sheba, the Hebrew word for the kingdom, whose famous Queen was recounted as having visited Solomon in the pages of the Old Testament. Biblical accounts speak of the wealth of this ancient civilization of traders and merchants, and modern archaeological excavations confirm these reports. Ruins of fortresses and walled towns are evident and remnants of their extensive irrigation system that turned the desert into a paradise still cover the land. Although gold and silver deposits were present, the chief source of their vast wealth was derived from their veritable monopoly of two of the most coveted materials in ancient times: frankincense and myrrh, resinous gums obtained from certain trees that only grow in Southern Arabia and were literally worth their weight in gold. There was not a temple or wealthy house in the ancient world, from Babylon to Rome, where one would not smell the fragrant scents of these incenses. In addition, a trade route that connected India to Egypt that passed through their capital of Marib was another major source of wealth. Perhaps their greatest accomplishment was the Great Dam of Marib, a monumental construction that brought water from the mountains both to the city and to the crop fields. The dam was in continual use (accounting for timely repairs) until the 6th Century A.D. and its ultimate destruction is detailed in the Koran as the end of the old world and a turning point in history. However, the civilization that created this wonder fell apart long before the damn did. In the 1st Century A.D., the Ptolemaic Greeks discovered a sea route from India directly to the port of Alexandria, eliminating Saba from this lucrative trade and ushering in the decline of Sabean prosperity. - (X.0543)Origin: Yemen Circa: 200 BC to 100 AD Collection: Biblical Style: Sabean Medium: Alabaster   « Less

This stunning sculpture was used as a grave- marker and belongs to a distinctive group of South Arabian dedication plaques. It depicts the bust of a woman in high relief  More »

This stunning sculpture was used as a grave- marker and belongs to a distinctive group of South Arabian dedication plaques. It depicts the bust of a woman in high relief against a rectangular slab. Other examples of this type have inscriptions along the base which often name the deceased and/or the god to whom they had a special devotion. The Sabeans were polytheistic until the late 4th century AD. It is likely that this piece also had a dedication which is now lost. The woman is shown in a characteristic pose with her right arm raised and her left held across the chest just beneath her ample breasts. Other surviving pieces depict the woman holding a sheath of wheat in her left hand, a symbol associated with fertility. It is likely that the large breasts perform a similar function here. She wears a high-neck short- sleeve tunic. Only the hairline is depicted along the top edge. The hair may have been lost or it could have been added separately in plaster, which was common on other funerary sculpture from Yemen. The eyes and eyebrows may have originally been highlighted with red or black pigment. Origin: Yemen Circa: 200 BC to 200 AD Dimensions: 8" (20.3cm) high x 8" (20.3cm) wide Collection: Biblical Style: Sabean Medium: Stone   « Less

The ancient kingdom of Saba ruled over the lands of southern Arabia, centered in modern day Yemen. Saba is perhaps better known as Sheba, the Hebrew word for the kingdom,  More »

The ancient kingdom of Saba ruled over the lands of southern Arabia, centered in modern day Yemen. Saba is perhaps better known as Sheba, the Hebrew word for the kingdom, whose famous Queen was recounted as having visited Solomon in the pages of the Old Testament. Biblical accounts speak of the wealth of this ancient civilization of traders and merchants, and modern archaeological excavations confirm these reports. Ruins of fortresses and walled towns are evident and remnants of their extensive irrigation system that turned the desert into a paradise still cover the land. Although gold and silver deposits were present, the chief source of their vast wealth was derived from their veritable monopoly of two of the most coveted materials in ancient times: frankincense and myrrh, resinous gums obtained from certain trees that only grow in Southern Arabia and were literally worth their weight in gold. There was not a temple or wealthy house in the ancient world, from Babylon to Rome, where one would not smell the fragrant scents of these incenses. In addition, a trade route that connected India to Egypt that passed through their capital of Marib was another major source of wealth. Perhaps their greatest accomplishment was the Great Dam of Marib, a monumental construction that brought water from the mountains both to the city and to the crop fields. The dam was in continual use (accounting for timely repairs) until the 6th Century A.D. and its ultimate destruction is detailed in the Koran as the end of the old world and a turning point in history. However, the civilization that created this wonder fell apart long before the damn did. In the 1st Century A.D., the Ptolemaic Greeks discovered a sea route from India directly to the port of Alexandria, eliminating Saba from this lucrative trade and ushering in the decline of Sabean prosperity. - (LO.595)   « Less

Elongated figurine cast in solid bronze depicted standing, the missing arms possibly bent forward, the long cloak with a v-shaped collar. The head surmounted by a conical  More »

Elongated figurine cast in solid bronze depicted standing, the missing arms possibly bent forward, the long cloak with a v-shaped collar. The head surmounted by a conical headdress, the face with deep inset almond-shaped eyes, long straight nose and small mouth, the earlobes each pierced by two dangling metal rings.It is generally agreed that human figurines made of metal from the Levant are representations of deities. Since monumental stone sculptures are relatively rare in this area before the Hellenistic period, these figurines might be miniature replicas of wooden cult statues which have not survived the ravages of time. As such, metal figurines may have been used as votive images, given also the fact that they were mainly excavated from within ceremonial enclosures, hence suggesting their ritual connotation. It should also be noted that these images may have been used as amulets for magic purposes in domestic and funerary cults.   « Less

Minimally emerging from a decorative block of tawny-flecked alabaster, the forms of this ram are both powerful and true to nature. The sculptor has concentrated his attention  More »

Minimally emerging from a decorative block of tawny-flecked alabaster, the forms of this ram are both powerful and true to nature. The sculptor has concentrated his attention on the tall, powerful legs which support a foreshortened body from which rises a majestically detailed head. The snout, eyes, and horns are clearly articulated, and the head is prominently raised and set off from the body. The overall aesthetic sensibility of this finely-polished work of art is utterly modern and charming On the basis of its material, style, and dimensions, this ram can be assigned to the Sabaean Culture which flourished in the Arabian Peninsula contemporary with the civilization of the Roman Empire. The Sabaeans had a predilection for animal sculpture but their repertoire generally consists of depictions of both the ibex and bull. Free-standing representations of other animals, such as our ram, are exceeding rare and exceptional; there were no rams of this type featured in the recent touring exhibition of the ancient art of Yemen.   « Less

Our stylized, nude female figure is possessed of an inherent monumentality despite her diminutive size. She kneels and cradles with her left arm an infant whom she nurses by  More »

Our stylized, nude female figure is possessed of an inherent monumentality despite her diminutive size. She kneels and cradles with her left arm an infant whom she nurses by offering her breast with the hand of her right arm which lies across her chest beneath her right breast. The design of her stylized arms is consistent with the triangular shape of her head characterized by a prominent nose, which is the stylistic hallmark of such fecundity figures. Her child is depicted in strict profile to the left which attention paid to his leg, torso, arm, and head, although these, in keeping with the abstract nature of such representations, are designed without attention to anatomical detail. Most of the examples of the type are in painted, baked clay and are typically depicted seated on the ground with their knees raised in the air and their arms folded across their chest, the hands often encircling their breasts. Examples in stone are infrequent, and group statuettes of woman and child, such as our example, are virtually unattested.   « Less

the highly stylised ram features a short thick tail, bulging eyes, and a low hump between the prominent forward-curving horns. - (LA.553)Origin: Syria Circa: 3000 BC to  More »

the highly stylised ram features a short thick tail, bulging eyes, and a low hump between the prominent forward-curving horns. - (LA.553)Origin: Syria Circa: 3000 BC to 2000 BC Dimensions: 12.5" (31.8cm) high Collection: Biblical Antiquities Medium: Calcite   « Less

Origin: Israel Circa: 900 AD to 1300 AD Dimensions: 4.75" (12.1cm) high x 7.50" (19.1cm) wide Collection: Biblical Antiquities Medium: Bronze

Origin: Israel Circa: 900 AD to 1300 AD Dimensions: 4.75" (12.1cm) high x 7.50" (19.1cm) wide Collection: Biblical Antiquities Medium: Bronze   « Less