Ca. 400-300 BC. A museum-quality bowl hammered from a single sheet of silver with underside low-relief decorated with numerous embossed amphorea designs surrounded by a circumferential band of almond-shaped protrusions. Libation bowls, known as phiale, were used across a wide geographical area - from Greece to Tibet, throughout the ancient Near East and Central Asia. These shallow bowls for holding wine in ritual and ceremonial settings were made from many materials - glass, ceramic, and many kinds of metal. Royal vessels were made of precious metals, like this one. They functioned both as tableware and as wealth - they could be stored in the royal treasury or given as gifts to people they were hoping to influence. Item comes with a professional historical report from Ancient Report Specialists. Size: L:210mm / W:210mm ; 648gProvenance: Private London collection ( B.A); formerly acquired in the 1970s from John Lees collection.