Sassanian Silver Bowl with Gilt Incised Design of Four-Armed Goddess Circa 6th-7th century A.D. A boat-shaped silver bowl engraved with foliate vines, flying birds and running animals between annulet borders around the neck; later four-armed figure of Chorasmian goddess riding a lion to the centre of the bowl, wearing a mural crown over arranged hair, holding a lunar crescent, a mace-sceptre, a bowl and a lotus flower. Cf. Minardi, M., 'A Four-Armed Goddess from Ancient Chorasmia: History, Iconography and Style of an Ancient Chorasmian Icon,' in Iran, 51:1, pp.111-143, figs.2, 3, 5, 6. 171 grams, 16.6 cm (6 1/2 in.). Acquired before 1972. Formerly with a central London gallery. Property of a London gentleman. The bowl, of Chorasmia production, belongs to the category of pBntn (variant pyBntn) i.e. 'vessel for water' in Chorasmo-Aramaic language. The four-armed goddess image is typical of the Chorasmia province of the Sassanian world, possibly representing the 'Great Goddess' of Chorasmia. The iconography, well known from a bowl in the British Museum and other artworks recently published by Minardi, derived from the strong influence of Eastern Roman style of silver dishes. The iconography of the four arms can be ascribed to those cultural contacts Chorasmia had with the south, or more specifically perhaps with India.