Monkey holding vessel
Unknown Artist
ca. 18th century BCE
Medium
Ivory
Dimensions
H. 2.2 x W. 0.9 cm (7/8 x 3/8 in.)
Classification
Ivory/Bone-Sculpture
Culture & Period
Old Assyrian Trading Colony · Middle Bronze Age–Old Assyrian Trading Colony
Department
Ancient Near Eastern Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mrs. George D. Pratt, in memory of George D. Pratt, 1936
Accession Number
36.152.11
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite ivory sculpture, titled *Monkey Holding Vessel*, dates to around the 18th century and hails from the Old Assyrian Trading Colony period in the Middle Bronze Age. Carved from elephant ivory—a prized luxury material traded across ancient Near Eastern networks—the figurine stands just 2.2 cm tall and 0.9 cm wide, showcasing the remarkable finesse of ancient artisans. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's of Ancient Near Eastern Art it was a gift from Mrs. George D. in memory of George D. Pratt in 1936. The Old Assyrian Trading Colony refers to bustling merchant outposts estab...