Beschreibung:

URUK PICTOGRAPHIC ECONOMIC CLAY TABLET RELATING TO CATTLE CIRCA 3000 B.C. 3 1/2 in. (112 grams, 89 mm). Bearing pictographs to the two principal faces; of pillow-shaped form. PROVENANCE: Specialised collection of cuneiform texts, the property of a London gentleman and housed in London before 1992. Thence by descent to family members. Examined by Professor Wilfrid George Lambert FBA (1926-2011), historian, archaeologist, and specialist in Assyriology and Near Eastern archaeology, in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The collection is exceptional for the variety of types, including some very rare and well preserved examples. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.201149. LITERATURE: Cf. similar item in the British Museum, London, under accession number 1989,0130.4/ BM No.140855 and published in MacGregor, N., A History of the World in 100 Objects, London, 2010 (cat.no.15, pp.90-94). FOOTNOTES: The purpose of these items is not known for sure but the combination of pictograms and impressed points has led to the suggestion that they were used for tallying quantities of various commodities. CONDITION