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Ancient Near East, Mesopotamian, ca. 2nd to 1st millennium BCE. An elegant weight carved by hand from a pale yellow-white stone with prominent red-orange veining. The weight depicts an abstract sleeping duck with its long beaked head turned back 180 degrees and resting upon its rounded body. The Mesopotamians used sets of standard weights to conduct their business and set rigid penalties against individuals who used false weights. The weights themselves were typically made from marble or others hard stones. The most common form was a simple barrel-shaped weight, however weights in the form of a duck like this example were also popular. Custom wooden display stand included. Size: 1.7″ W x 1.375″ H (4.3 cm x 3.5 cm); 2.25″ H (5.7 cm) on included custom stand.
Condition: Repaired from two large pieces with some small losses along break lines. Stone attached to stand with waxy substance. Minor nicks to body and head, and light encrustations. Nice earthen deposits throughout.
Provenance: private Southern California, USA collection, acquired in the 1970s to mid-1980s
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