Ca. 400 BCA museum-quality bowl hammered from a single sheet of silver with underside low-relief decoration of stylized lotus-flower designs surrounded by a circumferential band of almond-shaped protrusions. Libation bowls, known as phiale, were used across a wide geographical area - from Greece to Tibet, throughout the ancient Near East and Central Asia. These shallow bowls for holding wine in ritual and ceremonial settings were made from many materials - glass, ceramic, and many kinds of metal. Royal vessels were made of precious metals, like this one. They functioned both as tableware and as wealth - they could be stored in the royal treasury or given as gifts to people they were hoping to influence. Item comes with a professional historical report from Ancient Report Specialists.Size: L:40mm / W:145mm ; 370gProvenance: Property of a London Ancient Art gallery; formerly in Welbank collection since 1980s.