Ancient Central Asia, Bactria, ca. 3rd to 2nd millennium BCE. A delightful offering jar, skillfully hand-sculpted from alabaster with natural banding in hues of cream, almond, peach, champagne, and vanilla. Sitting upon a round yet stable base, the ancient vessel is hand-drilled to present thick walls with 10 faceted sides that gently curve inward to a brief slanted shoulder and an annular rim over a deep basin. Note the rough, horizontal rings on the interior - a side effect from when the central cavity was drilled out. Size: 2.4" Diameter x 3.5" H (6.1 cm x 8.9 cm)Alabaster, a light-colored calcareous stone quarried from the Iranian Plateau, had strong connections in the ancient world to religion and specifically the gods. For example, in the site of Kultepe-Kanes, a huge burial mound, there were many disc-shaped alabaster idols, naked alabaster goddesses, and lion figures. We also know that alabaster was a precious material, widely traded in the region from the 4th millennium BCE onward. A vessel like this one, given the fine quality of the stone, was likely intended to be filled with offerings and placed into a tomb. Provenance: private New York, New York, USA collection; ex-prominent D.K. collection, New York, USA, acquired in the 2000s All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.PLEASE NOTE: Due to recent increases of shipments being seized by Australian & German customs (even for items with pre-UNESCO provenance), we will no longer ship most antiquities and ancient Chinese art to Australia & Germany. For categories of items that are acceptable to ship to Australia or Germany, please contact us directly or work with your local customs brokerage firm.Display stands not described as included/custom in the item description are for photography purposes only and will not be included with the item upon shipping. #169728