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 Sûsa,
today the city of Shûsh. This powerful empire
has been overshadowed in history by the rival
kingdoms of Babylon and Assyria. However, their
extraordinary metalwork survives to this day, a
testament to the expertise of their craftsman.
This silver vessel demonstrates the absolute
mastery of the Elamite artisans. A convex bump
marks the bottom of the interior of the bowl.
From here radiate eleven gadroons interspersed
with plant shoots, all delicately hammered out of
the silver by hand. On the exterior, the plant
shoots have been embellished with stylized
details of leaves, buds, and stalks. Perhaps the
most fascinating, and important, feature of this
beautiful vessel is the inscription in Neo-Elamite
cuneifrom script. Found on the inside of the
flaring lip, the text reads, “Ampinish, King of
Samatir, son of Dabala.” This vessel, once the
prized possession of a king, is even more
valuable today because of the inscription. Much
of our knowledge of certain Elamite rulers and
kingdoms is derived from inscriptions on such
vessels. While King Ampinish once ruled over a
vast empire, no doubt amassing countless
treasures, today his memory is preserved
through the remnants of his wealth. This vessel
is not just a gorgeous work of art, but also the
only lasting tribute to a life, a ruler, and an
empire.
- (FZ.376)
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