4th millennium BC. A hollow ceramic bulla envelope containing tokens, decorated with reserved figures of animals and plants. 63.6 grams, 50mm (2"). Part of a specialised collection of cuneiform texts, the property of a London gentleman; examined by Professor Wilfrid George Lambert FBA (1926-2011), historian, archaeologist, and specialist in Assyriology and Near Eastern archaeology, in the late 1980s and early 1990s; this small collection is exceptional for the variety of types, including some very rare and well preserved examples; accompanied by a copy of Professor Lambert’s notes. It is believed that there are less than 250 (complete and fragmentary) examples of this type of bulla envelope worldwide and no example has ever been offered at auction. The outer clay envelop contains a number of pre-baked accounting tokens which were used in commercial and stock-taking transactions.