Beaker

The people of Marlik were a nomadic Indo-European tribe that once inhabited northwestern Iran. They left little evidence of their culture except for small portable objects buried with their dead. This silver beaker is decorated with stylized ibexes (wild mountain goats) that display the sensitive rendering of animal forms characteristic of ancient near eastern art. The design is worked in repouseé, a technique in which the metal is hammered from the back to create raised designs on the surface. In spite of strong patternization, the artist has captured a sense of the animal's grace, agility, and naturalistic musculature.