Cylindrical vessel. Bactria, 2nd–1st millennium B.C.

Cylindrical vessel. Bactria, 2nd–1st millennium B.C.
Alabaster.
Measurements: 12 cm (height).
Provenance: Private collection, Hampshire.
A carved stone vessel known as an alabastron, with high sides and no decoration other than its elegant lines and carefully crafted contours. The smooth sides highlight the stone’s natural hues, with the upper rim flaring outward. Bactriana, also known as Bactria, is the ancient Greek name for the region of Central Asia located between the Hindu Kush (to the south) and the Amu Darya River (to the north). Today, this territory corresponds to northern Afghanistan, southern Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan. A fertile region of oases and mountains, Bactria has been, since ancient times, an important and almost inevitable stop on trade routes and for communication between the Far East, the Indian subcontinent, and the Mediterranean basin. Of particular importance in this region is the Bactria-Margiana Archaeological Complex, the modern archaeological designation for the Bronze Age culture of Central Asia, dating approximately from 2200 to 1700 B.C.