Four South Arabian Antiquities, circa 2nd Century B.C./1st Century A.D.

comprising a Qatabanite limestone base engraved in front with two lines of South Arabic inscription reading "Hâni'um, (of the) Kars (family)," the rectangular slot on top with remains of the alabaster stele, an alabaster head of a bull from a funerary stele, a bronze applique in the form of a double shield with bosses centering a bull's head in relief, and a bronze applique cast in relief with the head of a deity wearing a diadem.

American private collection, Jidah, Saudi Arabia, until 1969
by descent to the present owner

stele base in good condition, some of the roughly worked back is chipped away. Other three pieces are fragmentary as shown, both bronzes have eroded surfaces and muzzle of bull's head is mostly chipped away.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

For the inscribed base see R.L. Cleveland, An Ancient South Arabian Necropolis. Objects from the Second Campaign (1951) in the Timna` Cemetery, Baltimore, Maryland, 1965, pls. 77ff., and S. Antonini, M. Arbach, and A. V. Sedov, Collezioni sudarabiche inedite. Gli Oggetti recuperati dalla Missione archeologica italo-francese a Tamna` (Yemen) (1999-2000), Naples, 2002, pp. 6-15, pls.V-XIII.

For the bronze shield-like object cf. `Alî `Aqîl `Azza and Sabina Antonini, Repertorio iconografico Sudarabico, Tomo III: I bronzi sudarabici di periodo pre-islamico, Rome and Paris, 2007, p. 241 (IV.B.15); the author suggests that it could be a decorative applique for a door or a wooden container.