Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Seated Bird Amulet
In Mesopotamia, jewelry was both worn and offered in temples as gifts to the gods. Its purpose was often more functional than ornamental: pendants worn on the body served as talismans to ward off evil and to increase the wearer's power. Mesopotamian amulets depict a large range of animals native to the Near East, illustrated here by a nesting bird.
Provenance
Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object. Learn more about provenance at the Walters.
Sale, Sotheby and Co., London, November 26, 1968, lot 20; Walters Art Museum, 1968, by purchase.
Exhibitions
| 2010 | Bedazzled: 5,000 Years of Jewelry. El Paso Museum of Art, El Paso. |
| 2006-2009 | Bedazzled: 5,000 Years of Jewelry from the Walters Art Museum. Frist Center for the Visual Arts, Nashville; The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, Sarasota; The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore. |
| 1979-1980 | Jewelry - Ancient to Modern. The Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore. |
Conservation
| Date | Description | Narrative |
|---|---|---|
| 2/16/1979 | Examination | examined for condition |
Geographies
Mesopotamia (Place of Origin)
Measurements
H: 3/4 in. (1.9 cm)
Credit Line
Museum purchase, 1968
Location in Museum
Accession Number
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
42.1452