Ancient Art

TREASURES LOOTED FROM CAIRO MUSEUM

Published on by Sarah
Egyptian Museum in Cairo

The vast wealth of archeological treasures documenting Egypt’s ancient history is housed in the Egyptian Museum, which is located on  Cairo’s Tahrir Square, the site of the recent demonstrations that has led to the forcing out of the country’s long-standing president Hosni Mubarak.. Archeologist Zahi Hawass, who was recently appointed Egypt’s Minister of Antiquities, has confirmed that objects were taken during a break-in on 28 January. Eighteen objects were stolen and that some 70 other items have been damaged.  A gilded wood statue of the boy king Tutankhamen being carried by a goddess is  among the missing as is a limestone statue of the King Tut’s father, Pharaoh Akhenaton, holding an offering table.

 During the political unrest, hundreds of people formed a human chain to protect the museum from vandals, but some looters managed to get in anyway.  The museum is now being guarded by the military, as are the pyramids and the Sphinx.

Caligula’s Tomb Found

Published on by Sarah

Roman Coin Depicting Caligula

The International  press is full of the news about the supposed discovery of the tomb of the Roman Emperor Caligula near Lake Nemi, some thirty kilometers from Rome.  Caligula was one of history’s most notorious monsters.  Cruel, vicious, and almost certainly insane,  his exploits, according to the Roman historian Suetonius, included  murdering his grandmother and brother, committing incest with all three of his sisters, proclaiming himself a god and demanding to be worshipped as such, and making his favorite horse a member of the Roman senate.  Born Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus in 12 A.D., he was given the name Caligula (“little boots” while with his father Germanicus during his campaigns in Germany.  He was murdered by a conspiracy involving the Praetorian Guard, the Senate and the Court in 41 A.D.

Italian police, acting on a tip , arrested a man who was trying to smuggle abroad a statue of the emperor that was recovered from the site.  The marble statue was depicted wearing  a god’s robes and “caligae,” the sandal-boots for which Caligula was named.  The discovery of the statue led the police to the tomb.

Not so fast, says Mary Beard, a professor of Classics at Cambridge University and a historian well-known for debunking myths about antiquity. “All the evidence we have from the ancient world suggests that this cannot be so,” she says. “There is no suggestion whatsoever, so far as I know, that this burial was at Nemi, or that it was a grand tomb. True, Caligula had a big villa there, but it is almost inconceivable that this assassinated symbol of imperial monstrosity would have been given a grand monument, plus a big statue there. Besides there is no evidence for that whatsoever.”

Excavations of the tomb have begun  and it will be fascinating to see what turns up.

Storm in Israel Reveals Roman Statue

Published on by Sarah

A large Roman white marble statue of a headless, armless woman wearing a toga was revealed when a severe storm in Ashkelon, Israel,  in December knocked down part of a cliff.  The statue, which had been buried for centuries, is estimated to be some 1,700.  It measures 4 feet in height and weighs 440 pounds.  Believed to be an image of the goddess Aphrodite, the figure was discovered by someone walking along the shore on the coast west of Jerusalem  The incredible find will now be put on display in a museum.

Ancient Building Collapses in Pompeii

Published on by Sarah

Archaeologists lament the collapse of the House of Gladiators in Pompeii.”  The Italian newspaper, La Republica, called the collapse a “world scandal.”   The Italian government’s cutting funds for heritage conservation was blamed and 800 cultural institutions in Italy closed in protest.  Heritage experts claim that other monuments in Italy are on the brink of destruction. “With no maintenance and non-existent funds, the entire country is at risk. From Bologna’s twin towers to the dome of Florence’s Cathedral and Nero’s Golden House in Rome, many other monuments could be reduced to rubble,” Alessandra Mottola Molfino, head of the environmentalist lobby Italia Nostra, told the daily Corriere della Sera.

Dead Sea Scrolls To Be Digiltalized by Google

Published on by Sarah

Ancient art lovers,  welcome all contributions that further our knowledge about the ancient world.  That is why it is such good news to learn that Google and the Israel Antiquities Authority are working together to digitalize the 2000-year-old Dead Sea Scrolls.  It is a tremendous undertaking since the Collection includes some 30,000 fragments of the scrolls.  The project will make the scrolls accessible to everyone with a computer and will preserve our heritage for future generations.

PHOENIX ANCIENT ART TO EXHIBIT IN NEW YORK IN OCTOBER AT THE INTERNATIONAL FINE ART & ANTIQUE DEALERS SHOW

Published on by Sarah

Rarities on the stand of Phoenix Ancient Art include:

Emperor Antoninus Pius (138-161 A.D.) [detail] 

 

Bronze Roman, second half  of the 2nd century A.D. Preserved  H: 115 cm. (45.3 in.)

The statue is in a remarkable state of preservation, despite its loss of the arms and legs. Parts of it have a beautiful light bluish-green patina, while the rest retains the dark brown coloring of the original bronze. Unlike many ancient statues, this one is fully modeled on all sides.  The figure is a larger-than-life size male adult shown in heroic nudity. The presence of several small holes on the top of the head, as well as the remains of lead on the hair above the forehead, suggests that the figure once wore a crown.   The head of the statue is clearly a portrait, presumably one of an emperor, Antoninus Pius,  and the sculpture was most likely made during his 23 year reign.  Under his rule the Roman Empire enjoyed peace and prosperity.  Antoninus Pius is one of the so called “Five Good Emperors” : the others were Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, who preceded him, and Marcus Aurelius, who succeeded him..

PHOENIX ANCIENT ART TO EXHIBIT IN NEW YORK IN OCTOBER AT THE INTERNATIONAL FINE ART & ANTIQUE DEALERS SHOW

Published on by Phebe

PHOENIX ANCIENT ART TO EXHIBIT IN NEW YORK IN OCTOBER AT THE INTERNATIONAL FINE ART

Rarities on the stand of Phoenix Ancient Art include:

The horse dates from the Geometric Period, 10th to 8th century B.C.  The period was the time great cultural advancement: Homer and the rise of epic poetry and the development of the visual arts. Bronze figurines were produced, depicting people, animals and birds. Representations of horses are among the most familiar symbols in the Geometric iconography. A great number of bronze horses such as this one were used as votive offerings in temples and sanctuaries. This small, stylized, and charming horse is standing upright, his head proudly raised. His chest and neck reveal his .power and his small head is delicately modeled in great detail.

Understanding Cypriot Art

Published on by Ben Tzur - Ancient Art

Certainly, most people know about the island Cyprus. They may not, however, know about the antiques that come from Cyprus and are called Cypriotic art and antiques.

These unique antiques, like those available at Phoenix Ancient Art, were part of a thriving culture in Cyprus from the 9th century B.C. until the Roman period. With its location in the eastern Mediterranean, Cyprus was able to be a melting pot of cultures and artistic talent, resulting in a fascinating style.

Cypriot art and antique includes pottery, stone sculptures and terracottas and they are delightful to look at and enjoy in the home.

Aboutaams Make Ancient Art Accessible to All

Published on by Ben Tzur - Ancient Art

Some people might find the idea of purchasing antiquities a bit intimidating. After all, prices are high, and the objects are extremely rare and often thousands of years old. However, the delight one experiences in being the custodian of such an ancient art object as it travels further along on its journey through the ages while simultaneously enjoying the object’s unique beauty should overcome the fear of getting in on this life enhancing experience.

For those who are still hesitating, the brothers Aboutaam, Ali and Hicham, have made purchasing ancient art extraordinarily user-friendly. First of all, Phoenix Ancient Art galleries, located in Geneva and New York, are open to the public and NOT by appointment only. They publish catalogues and offer curated exhibitions of their collections. The Aboutaams have recently started e-tiquities to further simplify the acquisition of ancient art through the internet.

The most impressive service that the Aboutaams offer, which should set the most nervous potential collector at ease, is their guarantee. Phoenix will stand behind their product, even if it means a full refund on a million-dollar piece whose provenance turns out to be false.

Peter Chavkin of the law firm Mintz Levin, who has worked with the Aboutaams and others in the antiquities marketplace, explains that, “the Aboutaams have the wonderful approach of not sticking collectors with a piece that turns out to have problems.”

Because of these practices business is booming at Phoenix Ancient Art, selling more antiquities at higher prices than the famous auction houses Christie’s and Sotheby’s.

So now there is no excuse not to get involved in a more active way with antiquities. Go get yourself a 4,000 year old statue. You’ll be glad you did.

Click to Antiquities

Published on by Ben Tzur - Ancient Art
Roman Silver Spoon/4th-5th Century
Roman Silver Spoon/4th-5th Century

Just when you thought there could be nothing new in the world of ancient art, Phoenix Ancient Art, the renown gallery for rare and exquisite artifacts of the ancient world, brings to our hi-tech sensibilities instant access to the greatest and most beautiful expressions of by-gone cultures, via the internet.

Click over to e-tiquities, the innovative web-site initiated by Hicham and Ali Aboutaam, co-owners of Phoenix. Now you can join the world of ancient civilizations with just the pressing of a key on your keyboard.

Admire the huge variety of works, spanning time as long ago as the 6th millennium B.C.E. progressing to the 14th century A.D. The geographic spread is just as wide, with most objects coming from the great civilizations which flourished in the Mediterranean Basin and reaching west to the Iberian Peninsula and extending out to the Indus Valley in the east.

The internet together with Phoenix Ancient Art have expanded the reach of just about anyone so that they can be an active player in the world of collecting, admiring and being inspired by the rare and wonderful world of ancient art and antiquities.