Roads of Arabia

18bis Arabie US p318-363.qxd 23/06/10 22:13 Page 344
ROADS OF ARABIA
Qaryat al-Faw
170. Chair leg
c. 1st century AD
Bronze
10 x 8.5 x 4 cm
National Museum, Riyadh, 2235
Bibliography: Al-Ansari 1982, p. 112.
This type of chair leg is well known in the Roman world 1 and the
site of Sidon, in Syria, provided many exemplars comparable to that
of Qaryat al-Faw (Musée du Louvre, AGER, Br 2579, Br 2580). The
two holes in the upper part were for inserting rivets. M. C.
171. Door knockers
3rd century BC
Bronze
Diam. (head): 8.8 cm; Diam (ring): 4.5 cm
Qaryat al-Faw
Department of Archaeology Museum, King Saud University, Riyadh, 346/347 F 1
Bibliography: Al-Rachid 1975, p. 173; Ghoneim 1980, fig. 13; Al-Ansari 1982,
p. 93.
These lion-head knockers were probably placed on doors. This type
of object, already appreciated in Eastern Greece by the 5th century
BC, was also very popular in the Roman world. M. C.
1. Boube-Piccot 1975, pl. 177, p. 243.
172. Pear-shaped lamp
c. 3rd century BC–3rd century AD
Bronze
3.5 x 9.5 cm
Qaryat al-Faw
National Museum, Riyadh, 2237
Bibliography: Al-Ansari 1982, p. 92, figs 1–2.
173. Lamp
c. 3rd century BC–3rd century AD
Bronze
2.5 x 14 cm
Qaryat al-Faw
Department of Archaeology Museum, King Saud University, Riyadh, 15 F 13
174. Chalice
3rd century AD
Silver, partly gilded
H. 5 cm; Diam. 7.7 cm
Qaryat al-Faw
Department of Archaeology Museum, King Saud University, Riyadh, 34 F 16
(Qs 3 )m bn Mlk s 2 ym
(Qasim) son of Malik had made
(transcription C. R.)
This small chalice can be compared to a series of slightly larger standing
cups widely diffused throughout the Near East from the 3rd and
4th centuries, but on a model introduced by Western workshops. The
bottom of the bowl, on the outside, is adorned with a motif of petals
in relief and two bands highlighted by mercury gilding: the first is
engraved with a motif of tiny waves, the second with a sequence of
rosettes. This décor is inspired by Graeco-Roman models, but the rigid
design of the rosettes, in particular, illustrates the South Arabian tendency
to geometricize forms and reveals a local goldsmith’s touch. This
same type of rosette is found on some capitals discovered in the
Himyarite capital of Zafar dated approximately to the 4th century. As
on many goldsmith’s artefacts, an inscription, here in South Arabic,
gives the name of the commissioner. F. D.
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