A beautiful Elamite Bronze Stemmed Drinking Cup decorated with four bulls. The vessel presents a short ribbed stem on round foot with inverted dome shaped cup. The decoration starts under the rim and consists of a narrow band rendered in relief, a large band with geometric patterns, and four bulls. While animal motifs are relatively abundant in the Ancient Near East, the detail and the artistic prowess of Elamite artists is more than remarkable. The bulls are represented in an accomplished fashion and with a high degree of artistic achievement. The eyes are carefully and attentively worked, along with the details of anatomical forms. The background is decorated with a subtle and elegant herringbone pattern, adding depth to the rendering of the scene.

Elam was an ancient kingdom of Asia, situated north of the Persian Gulf and east of the Tigris River, and corresponding approximately to the present-day province of Khuzistan in Iran. The capital of Elam and its most fabled city was Sûsa, today the city of Shûsh. This powerful empire has been overshadowed in history by the rival kingdoms of Babylon and Assyria. However, their extraordinary metalwork survives to this day, a testament to the expertise of their craftsmen.