Near East, Turkey / Egypt, ca. 3000 to 1500 BCE. A charming stone frog amulet carved in low relief - four limbs and raised eyes, the ovoid shape flattened on the base, and rough as if set in a mortar. Mesopotamians regarded frogs as beings of fertility and life- a direct correlation with the rivers that the cultures in this region depended on - the Tigris, and Euphrates. The waterways and marshes that created the Fertile Crescent were home to frogs and toads, thriving on both land and water, metamorphosing from tadpoles to 4-limbed amphibians which regularly shed their skin, symbolic of rebirth and change. Frogs were associated with Enki (Ea), the Sumerian god of creation and wisdom who ruled the underwater realm of Apsu. Similarly in ancient Egyptian religious beliefs, Heqet or Heket is one of the oldest and most important deities in Egyptian mythos as she is most-closely associated with the child-bearing process, birth, and reproduction. This amulet may have been a lucky item to ensure a painless and safe delivery. Size: 2.75" L x 2" W (7 cm x 5.1 cm)

Provenance: East Coast collection, New York Gallery, New York City, New York, USA, acquired before 2010

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.

We ship worldwide to most countries and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.

#175593

Chips and nicks throughout. Abrasions and softening to details. Mineral encrustations on flat underside.