Mesopotamian Stone Amulet of an Animal, 3000 BCE - 2000 BCE
Stone
0.25 x 0.75 x 1.125
PF.1941
For thousands of years, since before recorded history, man has worn amulets and talismans for luck and protection. The stones, feathers, teeth and claws that adorned early cultures eventually gave...
For thousands of years, since before recorded history, man has worn amulets and talismans for luck and protection. The stones, feathers, teeth and claws that adorned early cultures eventually gave way to an array of amulets whose powers were as varied as their forms. This unusual little token almost surely represents a bull, a creature symbolic of strength, power, and virility, the favorite animal of many male gods. It may have supplied its wearer with courage and energy in battle. Carved with abstract simplicity, capturing the essence of the animal, it makes a timeless appeal to the senses.