The ‘token’ (the term is chosen solely because of its shape, with no reference to its ancient use, which is currently unknown) is carved from a small lapis lazuli pebble of a beautiful azure blue, veined with grey in places.
This piece is a fine example of Bactrian craftsmanship from the Hellenistic period. It forms part of the long and rich tradition of stonework and inlay that flourished in this remote region of Western Asia as early as the Early Bronze Age.
The body, which has a flat, circular base but does not ensure the vessel is well balanced, is hemispherical in shape: it has been carved with great precision. The lid, with its domed profile, depicts the body of a bird in a simple, stylised manner: it features a central, triangular knob and a small side handle, which correspond respectively to the bird’s head and tail.
This circular seal, slightly larger than the average size, shows a perfectly symmetrical internal decoration composed of circles arranged around a central cross.
This object, whose shape recalls a chalice, was carved from a monolith of calcite (alabaster) that is similar in color and appearance to the stone commonly used by Egyptian sculptors for luxury tableware in the late 4th millennium B.C. already.