Barakat London

Neolithic Yangshao Painted Terracotta Vessel 🏺 Circa: 3000 BC to 1500 BC
Many thousands of years ago, our earliest ancestors were nomadic tribes that survived by foraging the wild for food and shelter. When Neolithic mankind began to settle in areas further removed from sources of water, transportation of twater became a foremost necessity. After unsuccessful attempts to create water resistant vessel from wicker baskets caked in mud, pottery was invented. The creation of pot...tery in China dates back as early as 6000 B.C. when villagers first realised that the earth around fires became hard and impervious to liquid. While pottery was created to answer a need, it soon progressed to be more than functional: it was also beautiful. The forms of the vessels, built up from coiled clay, are elegant and refined. Furthermore, the geometric paintings that decorate Neolithic vessels represent some of the earliest evidence of the origins and evolution of calligraphic writing in China. While these designs are purely abstract and in no way constitute a written language, the patterns, motifs, and application of paint all serve to give us insight into the intellectual and aesthetic atmosphere that would eventually foster the creation of Chinese symbols. Although this vessel was originally created to serve a practical purpose, today it is appreciated as a gorgeous work of art, treasured both for its beauty and history alike.
#Neolithic #Terracotta #ChineseArt #Yangshao #Yangshaoculture #ancientchinese #ancientcivilisation #geometric #vessels #clay # pottery #barakatgallery #barakatgallerylondon #calligraphy #Chinesesymbols #coilpot #coilpottery
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Tang Painted Terracotta Sculpture of a Horse and Female Rider Circa: 600 AD to 700 AD
The Tang Dynasty was an era of unrivalled wealth and luxury. This general type of Chinese burial art is known as mingqi. Mingqi were any of a variety of objects specifically created for interment in the tombs of elite individuals in order to provide for the afterlife. This sculpture depicts a noble lady riding upon a fine steed, inscribed on its hind leg with the Chinese characters denoting,... “official horse,” suggesting her and the horse’s elite status. Riding horses was a popular aristocratic tradition, as well as playing polo, illuminating the link between the upper crust of Tang society and horses. The early dating of this work is reflective of the stylisation of the horses head and legs that were characteristic of the preceding Sui Dynasty. Overall, this sculpture is a testament to the revered status of the horse in Chinese culture, a love that reached new heights of expression during the Tang Dynasty.
#TangDynasty #chineseart #ancientchineseart #barakatgallery #barakatgallerylondon #horse #terracotta @ Barakat London
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Kulli Painted Terracotta Jar Circa: 2500 BC to 2000 BC
Around 2600 BCE, most sites in northern and central Balochistan were abandoned, as a consequence of the expansion of the Indus Civilisation... into their territory. Nevertheless, southern Balochistan continued to be inhabited by a people labelled "Kulli." This cultural site is named after a site discovered by Aurel Stein.
Ceramic vessels from the Kulli phase have been unearthed at Nindowari, Nausharo and other small sites in Balochistan. Their surface often painted with reddish-brown slip designs, one of the most common being the ensemble of vertical strokes depicted on the neck, as in the case of a small fragment unearthed at a Harappan site located in the Kanrach Valley, a remote area bordered by the Mor and Pab Ranges. All the motifs featured on this jar would seem to indicate its appurtenance to the Kulli culture of southern Balochistan, possibly dated to the late 3rd Millennium BCE.
#Asian #Kulli #IndusValley #Vessels #IndusValleyCivilisation #IndusValleyVessels #Terracotta #Balochistan #Nindowari #Nausharo #Harappan #KanrachValley #barakatgallery #barakatgallerylondon #ancientart
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Indus Valley Terracotta Figurine of a Standing Fertility Goddess Circa: 2800 BC to 2600 BC Conical female figurine portrayed standing, her large vest folded at the bottom in four creases, her bulging shoulders and arms close to the body. Both breasts and the necklace applied on the body. The angular face with applied facial features comprising continuous lines in relief as eyebrows, elongated fissured eyes below, open mouth and large protruding nose. The hair combed backward...s between two enlarged earlobes. In her hands, what seems like a grinding stone and a pestle, reminding us the most vital domestic practice commonly found in Neolithic settlements. Figurines with similarly applied facial features have been traditionally ascribed to the Bajaur Valley at the border between Pakistan and India, in the sphere of influence of the early Harappan civilization during the so called Regionalisation Era (2800-2600 BC).
Incredibly enough, the extraordinary blend of realism -imbued in the detailed torso and arms of this figurine, and surrealism -of her large facial traits- would not feel out of place in a contemporary setting, thus transcending the boundaries of time and space.
#IndusValley #Terracotta #Fertility #Goddess #FertilityGoddess #indusvalleycivilisation #ancientart #barakatgallery #barakatgallerylondon @ Barakat London
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Shunga Clay Pot Circa: 200 BC to 100 BC
Around 185 B.C., Pushyamitra Shunga, the principal military officer of the last Mauryan king, assassinated his ruler and assumed control. Because the Shungas were the successors to the Mauryans, the period following Mauryan rule is often called the Shunga period. However, except at the beginning, Shunga was not as extensive as the earlier realm but coexisted with other polities throughout the subcontinent. The period saw a flowering of... the visual arts, including small terracotta images, larger stone sculptures, and architectural monuments such as the chaitya hall at Bhaja, the stupa at Bharhut, and the renowned Great Stupa at Sanchi. Under Shunga patronage, the core of the Great Stupa, thought to date from the era of the Mauryan emperor Ashoka (r. ca. 273–232 B.C.), was enlarged to its present diameter of 120 feet, covered with a stone casing, topped with a balcony and umbrella, and encircled with a stone railing. Four famous gateways, each about thirty-five feet high, were carved during the first half of the first century A.D. Decorated with images of auspicious fertility spirits, known as yakshas and yakshis, the gateways also feature narratives depicting moments from the past lives and final existence of Siddhartha Gautama, the founder of Buddhism. Motifs such as wheels, thrones, and footprints are used to symbolize the Buddha, who is not represented in human form until later. #barakatgallery #barakatgallerylondon @ Barakat London
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Old Babylonian Moulded Plaque Circa: 2000 BC to 1700 BC
The Old Babylonian period describes south Mesopotamia in the period about 2000-1600 BC. The early years saw a number of important states dominating the region: Isin, Larsa, Eshnunna and, from 1894 BC, Babylon. Babylon was ruled by a dynasty of Amorite kings. The sixth ruler was Hammurapi, who defeated the other southern states and expanded his control into north Mesopotamia. On the death of Hammurapi the empire graduall...y shrank over about 150 years. Nonetheless, Babylon remained an important power until it was sacked by the Hittite king, Mursili I, in about 1595 BC. During the Old Babylonian period literary activity flourished with scribes composing and recording religious, poetic and 'scientific' works in Sumerian and Akkadian cuneiform. Perhaps the most famous monument is the stele of Hammurapi, now in the Musée du Louvre, Paris. #NearEastern #Ancient #Terracotta #Mesopotamia
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Sassanian Bulla of the General of the South Circa: 200 AD to 600 AD
As the last great Iranian dynasty before the advent of Islam, the Sasanian dynasty (224-642 AD) is best remembered for its distinctive cultural expressions and the longevity of its rule. With an immense territory stretching from Transcaucasia to the Indus valley, Sasanians engaged in intense trade and exchange, of which, sealstones and bullae are an interesting reflection. Bullae (from the latin Bulla-ae) ar...e clay or bitumen impression of seals used as voucher that were usually attached to documents or parcels and showed the identity of the author or the owner of the merchandise.
Bullae are important historical documents in that they provide valuable information on Sasanian onomastics, personal names, government offices and religious positions. Their wealth of information is particular poignant, when considering that relatively little material evidence has so far come to light from the Sasanian period, besides the vestiges of some architectural religious complexes.
The bulla here illustrated features one of the four generals of the cardinal points, known also as spahbed. A horseman in armour –the clibanarius type- seen in profile from the right, holding a long lance in his right hand, while the sheath of a sword hangs from his waist. The pahlavi inscription in lapidary script on three lines can be translated as follows: “Wahram, who has acquired the name Husraw, son of Adurmah, chief of... and eunuch and (having the honorary title) well-omened (is) Husraw, grandee, Eran- spahbed of the side of the south”.
We are grateful to Dr Rika Gyselen, CNRS, Paris, for her help in identifying the bulla.
#Sassanian #bulla #neareastern #Bullae
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Bactria Margiana vessel Circa: 2000 BC to 1500 BC The Bactria- Margiana culture spread within a large continuous zone across an area encompassing vast regions of the modern countries of Iran, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Northern Afghanistan. Flourishing between about 2100 and 1700 BC, it was contemporary with the Bronze Age and was characterised by monumental architecture, social complexity and extremely distinctive cultural artefacts that vanished from the record shortly after they first appeared. #bactrian #bactria #barakatgallerylondon #barakatgallery

Indus Valley Terracotta Sculpture of a Bull Circa: 3500 BC to 2500 BC The Zebu bull, an ox with a prominent hump that had been domesticated in the east since the earliest days of history, represents power, strength and nobility. In particular, the humped bull has been a prominent theme in the pottery and decorative arts of the Indus Valley civilization. The Zebu bull, the leader of the herd, the protector and procreator of the species, likely symbolises a powerful clan or t...op official from Harappa or Mohenjodaro. Valued for its milk, its flesh and its hide, the bull was considered to be one of the sacrificial offerings most pleasing to the gods. A sculpture like this one may have once stood in an ancient temple as a substitute for the real creature. This particular terracotta sculpture of a bull bears a strong resemblance to similar representations of Zebu bulls from the ancient Near East. Perhaps these ancient cultures once shared similar beliefs. The head of the bull is emphasised; the horns are wide and prominent. The creatures legs are thick and sturdy. The pointed hump emerges from the back. Dashed lines created by lightly poking the wet clay with a stylus divide the bull’s body and head into various segments. #indusvalley #indusvalleycivilization #zebu #zebubull #asianart #ancientcivilization #ancientcivilisation #ancientart #terracotta #barakatgallerylondon #barakatgalley @ Barakat London
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Bactrian Terracotta Wig Circa: 300 BC to 300 AD #wig #terracotta #Bactrian #centralasia #barakatgallery #barakatgallerylondon #barakatgallery #ancientart #ancient #art @ Barakat London

Marble Carving of a Pair of Feet 👣 Circa: 1 st Century BC to 3 rd Century AD This is a truly delightful and somewhat quirky object of the remains of a small male marble sculpture. Although only his extremities survive, the piece is still aesthetically pleasing and entertaining. The feet appear natural, even the toenails have been carved, and the placement upon their podium would suggest that the left knee would have been bent, thus making the torso contraposto, a favourite pose of this time period. #romanmarble #classical #romanperiod #barakatgallery #barakatgallerylondon

Roman Glass Amphoriskos Circa: 4 th Century AD to 6 th Century AD Dimensions: 3.5" (8.9cm) high x 2.5" (6.4cm) wide The history of glass making before the Industrial revolution can be separated in two stages: in the first, which began in the 3rd millennium BC and ended in the period from 100 to 50 BC, craftsmen discovered how to transform raw materials into glass and how to make vessels and other objects either with moulds or by forming a molten glass around a removable cor...e. Both techniques were labour-intensive and were seldom made in big quantities. In the second stage, beginning in the 1st century AD in the Syro-Palestinian region, glass workers found that molten glass could be formed by inflation and manipulation with tools. Glass blowing enabled them to make quickly a wide range of shapes, thus widening its market. However, after the 2nd century AD, glass is generally found in a more confined area. The change appears to have taken place under the Flavian Emperors (69-96 AD), an era that in many ways represents a watershed in the history of glass making. It is from this time onwards that glassblowing in the East and the West developed along independent lines, the only exception being fine tableware decorated with special techniques, which was probably due to the still unifying factor of the Roman Imperial administration. #romanglass
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Tang Dynasty Terracotta Fat Lady Circa: 618 AD to 906 AD Dimensions: 17.7" (45.0cm) high This outstanding ceramic attendant was made during what many consider to be China’s Golden Age, the T’ang Dynasty. It was at this point that China’s outstanding technological and aesthetic achievements opened to external influences, resulting in the introduction of numerous new forms of self-expression, coupled with internal innovation and considerable social freedom. The T’ang dynasty also saw the birth of the printed novel, significant musical and theatrical heritage and many of China’s best-known painters and artists. #ancientart #chineseart #tangdynasty #barakatgallerylondon #barakatgallery

Neolithic Çatalhüyük Terracotta Fertility Goddess, 6000 BC to 5000 BC In 1958, British archaeologist James Mellaart discovered the Neolithic settlement known as Çatalhüyük in Southern Turkey near the city of Konya. Dated from around 7500 to 5700 B.C., the ruins of Çatalhüyük constitute the largest and best preserved Neolithic site yet found. Much has been learned about the settlement from subsequent excavations. Çatalhüyük appears to have been devoted entirely to domestic bui...ldings, with little evidence for any public architecture. Unlike modern cities, there were no streets. Instead, the roofs of the mud-brick houses served both as the thoroughfares. Doors were on the ceiling with stairs or ladders leading into the living spaces. Over time, crumbling houses were destroyed and rebuilt, leading to multiple layers of settlement. While little is known about their religious beliefs, the people of Çatalhüyük buried their dead within the village. Some remains bear evidence of ritual decoration, similar to other Neolithic sites in Syria and Jericho. Murals and figurines have been uncovered throughout the settlement, and interiors and exteriors of buildings were adorned with head of animals, especially cattle, mounted on the wall, all suggesting that the ancient society had a distinctive religious belief system rich in symbolism. #NearEastern #masterpiece #fertilitygoddess #goddess #fertility #Anatolia #Anatolian #terracotta #barakatgallery #ancientart #ancientcivilisation #barakatgallerylondon #Çatalhüyük @ Barakat London
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Roman Marble Head of Caesar 1 st Century AD, 9.5" (24.1cm) high x 6.25" (15.9cm) wide This imperial portrait head originates from one of the North African provinces of the Roman Empire. Scholars believe that official portraits were created in the capital city of Rome and disseminated across the empire to serve as prototypes for local workshops. Despite this attempt at uniformity, local stylistic traits could not be suppressed and there was great regional variety across the ...empire. Caesar is perhaps most notorious for the manner of his death, assassinated on the Ides of March, 44 B.C. by a group of aristocrats who feared his growing authority. Ironically, for these defenders of Republicanism, their actions only speeded the demise of the Republic. A second civil war followed and the Empire then became consolidated under Caesar’s adopted son Octavius, later known as Augustus. Partly in reaction to the popular outrage at Caesar’s murder, the Senate decided to deify him in 42 B.C. Marble busts proliferated and this piece is a particularly fine example of the phenomenon. The head is tilted slightly to the right and the gaze is pensive. There is a suggestion of clothing at the base of the neck but the block of marble retains a slightly unfinished appearance that adds to its charm. Carved in very high relief, rather than in the round, the surface has an attractive warm patina. #RomanMarble #Marblehead #marble #Caesar #rome #romanhead #ancientart #sculpture #portrait #deity #barakatgallery #barakatgallerylondon @ Barakat London
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Terracotta Rhyton with Zoomorphic Terminal 🐴 900 BC to 600 BC, 6.50" (16.5cm) high x 10.2" (25.9cm) wide Elam was an ancient kingdom of Asia, situated north of the Persian Gulf and east of the Tigris River, and corresponding approximately to the present-day province of Khuzistan in Iran. The capital of Elam and its most fabled city was Susa, today the city of Shush. This powerful empire has been overshadowed in history by the rival kingdoms of Babylon and Assyria. However,... the Elamite Empire deserves to be placed in a list of the world’s most important and influential ancient cultures. Archaeological signatures for the area exist as far back as the sixth millennium B.C. The empire itself was founded in around 3200 B.C., and it lasted – in various guises – almost continuously until the mid first millennium B.C.; much of its history is also documented using the world’s earliest deciphered alphabet, which makes it of extraordinary value to historians and archaeologists. #Elamite #Elamite Art #NearEasternArt #ancientart #ancientcivilisation #terracotta #Zoomorphic #barakatgallery #barakatgallerylondon @ Barakat London
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Bronze Age Terracotta Mask Circa: 2700 BC to 1700 BC Dimensions: 7.5" (19.1cm) high x 7.8" (19.8cm) wide Collection: Biblical Antiquities Medium: Terracotta... #bronzeage #terracotta #ancientart #BiblicalAntiquities #barakatgallery #barakatgallerylondon @ Barakat London
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Bankoni Terracotta Bird Vessel Origin: Niger River Delta This zoomorphic flask was made by the Bankoni people of the Mali Empire, between the 12th and 15th centuries AD. It is a complex example of the genre, with a globular body narrowing to an elongated neck and the head of a bird, whose wings are rendered as flanges which resemble handles. It is bearing a chick upon its back, which is rendered as an identical yet miniature form. The bottom 1/3 of the main body is decorated ...with incised lines that encircle the circumference. The plain sections of the flask are further decorated with hatched, incised motifs. The head bears a crest, and the throat a crop. Objects such as this have long posed a puzzle to African art historians. They are mostly found in graves, but it is unclear whether they also had a function in everyday activities, or were made specifically as burial goods. It has been suggested that they were rattles, or alternatively that they represent sacrificial animals so that sacrifices could be made without losing valuable livestock. Their obvious lack of utilitarian function has led to the theory that they were devotional objects of some sort, but little more can be ascertained without further information.
#barakatgallery #barakatlondon #africanart @ Barakat London
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Pair of Ming glazed ceramic panels Circa: 1368 AD to 1644 AD These remarkable ceramic polychrome panels date from the Ming Dynasty, which ruled China between the mid 14th and mid 17th centuries AD and is widely believed to be one of the most definitive and important in China’s long history. They are ultra high-relief pieces, depicting a pair of galloping horsemen against a predominantly green background. They are dressed in warrior’s clothing, and were presumably once part of a larger narrative panel. The pieces are notable for their high colouring and glazed finish. These are powerful and impressive pieces of Chinese art. #mingdynasty #ancientart #barakatgallery #ancientchinese @ Barakat London

best place to shop.in and i like it how more then one country have gallery

always the best for you Mr. blessing

They are good

Barakat Gallery is a goldmine of wonders....

best place to shop.in and i like it how more then one country have gallery

always the best for you Mr. blessing

They are good

Barakat Gallery is a goldmine of wonders....

best place to shop.in and i like it how more then one country have gallery

always the best for you Mr. blessing

They are good

Barakat Gallery is a goldmine of wonders....