A beautiful Elamite dark green chlorite vessel decorated with four Ibexes. The vessel is cup-shaped. The decoration starts under the rim and consists of three narrow bands and four ibexes representing walking or pasturing. The Ibex (Capra aegagrus), also known as West Asian ibex, is found in Anatolia, in the Caucasus and across the Near East. This animal, the ancestor of the domestic goat, formed a crucial part of the repertoire of iconographic expressions of several near eastern cultures. 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 ibexes are represented in an accomplished fashion and with a high degree of artistic achievement. The eyes are carefully and attentively worked, and the skin is subtly and elegantly rendered along with other anatomical details. The ibexes stand on top of a background decorated with complex and intricate geometric patterns, giving an extraordinary sense of depth to 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.

This is an outstanding piece of Elamite Art, befitting the most important collectors.