Vessel with two zebu
Unknown Artist
2600–2350 BCE
Medium
Chlorite, calcite inlay
Dimensions
4 1/2 × 2 3/4 × 2 3/4 in. (11.4 × 7 × 7 cm)
Classification
Stone-Vessels
Period
Early Dynastic II-III
Department
Ancient Near Eastern Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mrs. Constantine Sidamon-Eristoff, 2014
Accession Number
2014.717
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the world of ancient Mesopotamia with this exquisite *Vessel with Two Zebu*, crafted around2600–2350 during the Early Dynastic II-III period. Hailing from the Ancient Near East—likely Sumerian city-states like Ur or Lagash—this small stone vessel (just 4½ × 2¾ × 2¾ inches) exemplifies the era's elite craftsmanship. Produced by an unknown artist, it reflects a time when powerful temples and palaces commissioned luxury goods to showcase wealth and piety. Fashioned from chlorite, a soft, gray-green stone prized for its carvability, the vessel features intricate calcite inlays that high...