*A SOUTH ARABIAN ALABASTER OFFERING TABLE. Early 1st century A.D. Dim. 60,5 x 99 x 8 cm Provenance Formerly, private collection A.K., Switzerland, collected prior 1971 Then by descent Collection of a European Ancient Dealer,, acquired in December 2011 Then by descent by succession Rectangular in shape, it rests on four short legs. The upper surface is adorned with a raised border. A row of seven reclining conjoined ibexes is depicted, each with an elongated snout, bulging eyes, and large spiraled horns. An inscription runs along all four sides of the table. Transcription Face A Krbʿṯt/ Face B w-Lḥyʿṯt/w-Hʿll/bhnw/ḏ-Kyln/s¹qnyw/ʾrnydʿ/S²y Face C mn/mṣrbn/w-b/ʾḏn/ʾrnydʿ/s¹m/ Face D w-ʾwld-s¹m/w-ʾqny-s¹m « Karibʿarhat, Laḥayʿathat et Haʿlil, banū dhu-Kaylān {famille connue}, ont offert à Aranyadaʿ {nom d’un dieu} le Patron (cette) table d’offrande et — avec l’accord de Aranyadaʿ — eux-mêmes, leurs enfants et leurs biens ». For a comparison, see no. 294, p. 203 in Simpson, Queen of Sheba: Treasures from Ancient Yemen (publication referenced, though currently misplaced). See also Christie’s New York, 9 December 2008, lot 54, sold for $54,000. For Swiss buyers, VAT applies to the hammer price and buyer's premium (only for the lots with the * mention)