Bronze Decorated Bowl

Decorated bronze bowl from the monumental Tomb of Amud (FA-5) at Mleiha, Sharjah (UAE). 3rd century BCE. Two figurative bands with Arabian themes, exotic and mythical animals encircle the central rosette. The original decoration had been altered in antiquity. A winged sphinx and a bird are original. Enhanced figures include a hunter in front of his camel, attacking a lion. A centaur is fighting a marine creature; which seems to have been changed to a pair of pelicans. Their wings extend on to the rim of the bowl. There is an African elephant, a goat, a bovid and possibly a crocodile.