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Halaf culture, about 5500-5000 BC From Arpachiyah, northern Iraq
Height: 5.000 cm
(bowl)
Diameter: 15.700 cm (bowl,
max.)
ME 127530 (bowl);ME 127585 (plate)
Middle East
Pattern
Pottery bowl
This beautiful bowl is an incredible 7500 years old. It was formed carefully by hand as the potter's wheel had not yet been invented. The pattern was then painted on before the bowl was fired. The simple but effective design is based on triangles. Can you work out by looking at it how it was drawn? Have a go at drawing it yourself on a piece of paper.
Pottery with this kind of fine geometric pattern has been found over a huge area of ancient Mesopotamia. The technique may have been spread by travelling potters.