2nd-3rd century AD. A South Arabian sheet-silver bowl with repoussé scale detailing to the sidewall, tondo gilded to the underside with an image of a bird of prey perching with splayed wings; decorative parcel-gilt band below the rim with original Sabaean text, expunged and later reworked to read 'Hari-yada'at and Halkum and their children, of [the family] Hasbach; and Dhakhar-il and Namamat'. Cf. Simpson, S., Queen of Sheba. Treasures from Ancient Yemen, London, 2002, item 306, for similar gilt epigraphic band below the rim; see Curtis, J. and Tallis, N., Forgotten Empire: The World of Ancient Persia, The British Museum, London, 2006, p.105, for comparable items. 170 grams, 16cm (6 1/4"). From a private UK collection; acquired from Christie's, New York, 10 December 2004, lot 419 (bought for $33,460.00); formerly in a private collection formed in the 1950s-1960s; accompanied by copies of the relevant Christie's catalogue pages and a copy of a Art Loss Register certificate number S00119280; this lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by IADAA certificate number no.23032020/1607. The bowl is similar in size and shape to examples of libation bowls, to bowls and dishes used as luxury tableware at royal (and other high status) tables for food and drink, and even vessels used for medicinal purposes. Sabaean is one of the old South Arabian languages, spoken by the people of the kingdom of Saba, the biblical land of Sheba.