Magnificent Bronze Sculpture of a Goat

Crafted in a vigorous abstract style, this superb creature probably served a ritual purpose. The slot in his back and the hinged opening on his belly suggest that he was meant to contain something which could be retrieved at a later point, much as a modern piggy bank or ballot box might. Though his exact function remains a mystery, it is clear that an early bronze of this size and splendor was a rare and costly treasure in its own time: in our age, it is even more so.