Ca. 1st millennium BC.
A cast bronze small vessel, designed for holding kohl with a globular lower body that gracefully extends into a long tubular neck, featuring a flat and broad rim. The vessel is supported by three bent legs, each with elegantly curved little feet, adding a touch of refinement to its already graceful form. Kohl, a black powder or paste made by grinding stibnite, was a popular cosmetic among many cultures from antiquity to the present. In the Ancient Near East, it was believed to enhance the beauty and protect the eyes from the harmful rays of the sun, as well as ward off evil spirits. The significance of kohl in the daily lives of the ancient people is attested to by the exquisite kohl containers, believed to have originated from the ancient region of Bactria.
Size: L:66mm / W:32.8mm ; 57.67g
Provenance: Property of a West London gentleman; previously in a collection formed on the UK/International art market in the 1990s.