Birds were popular across Mesopotamia within everyday life and mythology. Common birds ranged from doves, cockerels and geese to falcons and eagles. There are many depictions of eagles across seals and carvings. A common image is of the mythical creature Imdugud, also known as Anzû, a monster represented as a massive bird/eagle with two lion heads depicted on numerous seals. He was god of the southern winds and thunder clouds. There was also the Apkallū, known as the Seven Sages. They were a group of seven mythical men sent by the Mesopotamian gods as teachers of human kind. They were depicted as either part eagle and part human or part fish and part human. It was common to have animals as totems and deities across the Near East. The double headed eagle was a prime example. There is evidence of its use during the Hittite period, it was not restricted to only deities but also as a personal or family symbol. Therefore, the eagle was a frequent image used by the Near Eastern people.
Western Asiatic Bronze Eagle Statuette
$219.36
A Western Asiatic eagle statuette cast from bronze. The bird has been stylistically rendered featuring a triangular shaped body leading to a long neck with a circular head and a large, hooked beak. Both wings rest along the eagle’s sides. Incisions are carved into the bronze to indicate the large, almond eyes and feathers along the wings. The statuette is mounted on a custom-made stand.
Provenance: ‘The Ancient Menagerie Collection’ formerly the property of a Cambridgeshire lady, collected since the 1990s and acquired from auctions and dealers throughout Europe and the USA, now ex London collection.
Condition: Fine condition, chip to tail. Earthly encrustation and patination visible to the surface. The measurements of the statuette itself; 3.1cm height, 4.1cm width
In stock
| Weight | 44.2 g |
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| Dimensions | W 4.5 x H 5.4 cm |
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