Mesopotamian Hematite Weight in the Form of a Duck

Culture: Mesopotamia

Period: Mid 2nd millennium B.C.

Material: Hematite

Dimensions: 2.1 cm long

Price: Sold

Ref: 6401

Provenance: English private collection, 1980s. Thence 2016 with Rupert Wace Ancient Art in London. With a copy of the original invoice.

Condition: Intact

Description: Almost metallically appearing weight of dark grey hematite in form of a crouching duck, putting its head over its shoulder to the back. The neck is long and slender, the beak with a raised ridge. The tail feathers are accentuated by a gentle widening at the end of the body. The base of the small sculpture is flat. The so-called “sleeping duck” is a common weight form in the Near East. The earliest examples originate from the Sumerian excavation sites of the 3rd millennium B.C.