Bison figure

Art Historical Context

This exquisite **Bison figure**, carved from marble in the 3rd millennium, transports visitors to the dawn of Ancient Near Eastern civilization—roughly the Early Dynastic period in Mesopotamia and surrounding regions. Standing just 4.72 x 3.07 x 7.95 inches, this compact stone sculpture captures the bison's robust form with remarkable simplicity and vitality, its smooth surfaces polished to highlight the stone's natural veining. Marble, though less common than limestone in the region, underscores the sculptor's access to prized materials, likely sourced through trade networks spanning Anatolia...