Central Asia, Bactria, ca. 500 BCE. A remarkable bronze vase covered with low relief motifs showing chariots and elephants, scenes of battle inspired by contact with the people of the Indus Valley south of the Hindu Kush, who used elephants for war. The vessel has a slender, hourglass form with a mouth that flares slightly wider than its hollow foot. Around the sides are two wide registers. The upper register features a series of charioteers who appear locked into a fight. The lower register, which is larger, shows a series of hemispherical curves - perhaps representing mountains - interspersed with singular trees and people traversing their sides. Underneath these curves stands an elephant in profile. The wonderful, fascinating iconography of this piece will keep you returning to it over and over again! Size: 4.55" W x 9" H (11.6 cm x 22.9 cm)
Provenance: private California, USA collection, by descent, moved from Germany in 1997, originally collected in the 1970s in Hamburg, Germany
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#156062
Condition
Edges of the foot are slightly bent and there is an area of depression around the top of the foot, but the vessel still stands easily. A few tiny losses from surface but overall the form is well preserved. Rich patina and heavy deposits on surface, but the artwork is still well preserved and clearly visible.