bath-tub;
model
- Museum number
- 1981,0810.8
- Description
-
Miniature terracotta bathtub decorated in Proto-White Painted ware; hand-made; rectangular body with splaying sides; originally two lugs on each of the long sides, one now lost; buff clay with a slightly ligter coloured slip, decorated black matt paint: irregular hatching or wavy bands between vertical parallel lines.
- Production date
- 1100BC-1000BC
- Dimensions
-
Length: 9 centimetres
- Curator's comments
- For a survey of miniature bathtubs on Cyprus in this period see Collard 2008 passim, esp. 112-13 and Appendix B, 148-50; also Karageorghis 2000, 266-74 on bathtubs as a major innovation in the archaeological record of the LC III period.
Collard (2008, 150 note 735) attributes this model to Enkomi-Ayios Iakovos, citing advice from Lindy Crewe. This is uncertain as the origin of all of the Late Bronze Age items in the Lawrence-Cesnola collection is unknown. While some may have some from Enkomi, as Cesnola or his agents worked all over the Salamis area, it is now impossible to determine to what extent the LBA site of Enkomi was explored, or even known, at this time. Furthermore, there is no evidence that any of the tombs at Enkomi were used after the 12th century, though the settlement area was used for cult practices from the 11th century BC and later. It could derive from a ritual context, though Collard's analysis of the findspots of the miniature bathtubs suggests otherwise; equally, it might have been found in an 11th century tomb at Salamis which was first inhabited at this time.
Bibliography:
Collard D. 2008, Function and ethnicity: 'Bathtubs' from Late Bronze Age Cyprus. SIMA Pocket-book 171 (Sävedalen: Åström ).
Karageorghis V. 2000, 'Cultural innovations in Cyprus relating to the Sea Peoples', in ed. E. Oren, The Sea Peoples and their world. A reassessment (Philadelphia), 255-75.
- Location
- Not on display
- Acquisition date
- 1981
- Acquisition notes
- Originally bought by Rollin & Feuerdent at one of the Lawrence-Cesnola sales at Sotheby's, presumably that of 25-27 April 1892, though what appears to be the lot number written on the vessel, 613, does not obviously correspond with the any of the items listed in the sale catalogue - 'Bowl or Cylix, ornamented with birds; and two others.'
- Department
- Greek and Roman
- Registration number
- 1981,0810.8
- Additional IDs
-
Previous owner/ex-collection number: 402-1892 (V&A number)
