Bidspirit auction | A MESOPOTAMIAN STONE EYE IDOL

A MESOPOTAMIAN STONE EYE IDOL OF TELL BRAK TYPE - A carved stone votive figurine of the Tell Brak type, originating from the Ancient Near East and dating to the Late Chalcolithic or Middle Uruk period, circa 3500 to 3300 BCE. The object is fashioned from a dark, weathered stone, such as limestone or alabaster, featuring a characteristic flat, trapezoidal body. The upper section consists of a short, thick neck supporting a wide head with two prominent, deeply incised eyes composed of concentric outlines. Two small protrusions are visible at the upper corners of the head. The chest area is decorated with three nested, incised chevron patterns, representing a ceremonial collar or garment details. The reverse of the idol is flat and undecorated. These idols are synonymous with excavations at Tell Brak in modern-day Syria and are interpreted as representing the all-seeing nature of a deity or the perpetual attentiveness of a donor. This item is of Ancient Near Eastern origin and is being catalogued for sale in the United Kingdom. H: Approximately 7.3cm Provenance: Property from the estate of a distinguished private collector (deceased); assembled between the 1970s and 2024.