Lot 643

Elamite Bitumen Cylinder Seal, Bulls and Fish-Goats

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Elamite Bitumen Cylinder Seal, Bulls and Fish-Goats

Estimate: $2,000 - $3,000

Starting Bid: $900

(0 Bids)

by Artemis Fine Arts
July 30, 2026 8:00 AM MDT
Live Auction
686 S. Taylor Avenue
Suite 108
Louisville, CO, US 80027

Near East, Iran, Elamite culture, ca. 1100 to 900 BCE. A bitumen cylinder seal with a slender profile and a drilled perforation for suspension, carved in two framed registers separated by a smooth central band. One end shows two recumbent facing bulls with a seated monkey between them; the other shows two facing fish-goats in a similarly balanced composition. The imagery is arranged in horizontal bands, intended to read clearly when rolled, reflecting the Elamite taste for stylized creatures and emblematic pairings. Accompanied by a typewritten description signed in blue ink by Professor Wilfred George Lambert (1926-2011), Assyriologist and Fellow of the British Academy. Size: 1.5" L x 0.4" W (3.8 cm x 1 cm)

Provenance: private London, UK collection

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Item # 200943

  • Condition: Very good condition overall, with minor chipping to the upper rim. Mineral encrustations in recessed areas. Type written and signed note from Professor Wilfred George Lambert.

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $749 $25
$750 $1,499 $50
$1,500 $2,999 $100
$3,000 $7,499 $250
$7,500 $14,999 $500
$15,000 $29,999 $1,000
$30,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 + $10,000