- Museum number
- 129072
- Description
-
Painted pottery jar; handmade; white sliped and decorated with reddish brown paint; long bridge-spout and handle; decoration represents a bull with lowered head and horse-like arched neck, repeated on the opposite side of the body, with three identical checquer-board designs repeated in the field; also decorated with horizontal lines and dots arounf the top of the rim and shoulder/neck junction, a cruciform design added to the underside of the base and a radiating pattern around the base of the spout; restored from sherds.
- Production date
- 10thC BC-9thC BC
- Dimensions
-
Diameter: 7.90 centimetres (base)
-
Diameter: 20 centimetres (body)
-
Diameter: 11.80 centimetres (rim)
-
Height: 18 centimetres
-
Length: 38 centimetres (with spout)
- Curator's comments
- Also published by Hennessy, 'Masterpieces', pl. 104. Type excavated by R. Ghirshman at Sialk B and probably to be dated to the 10th-9th centuries BC. For discussion of the date and distribution in Iran and eastern Arabia of horizontal bridge-spouted jars, see P. Magee, 2005: "The production, distribution and function of Iron Age bridge-spouted vessels in Iran and Arabia: results from recent excavations and geochemical analysis", 'Iran', 43, pp. 93-115. Unprovenanced examples include: T. Kawami, 'Ancient Iranian Ceramics' (1992), p.24, fig.23; 'The Foroughi Collection' (n.d.) and Christie's, 'Antiquities' (London), p.49, lot 183 (previously exhibited in Zurich and published in 'Vom Euphrat und Nil', cat. 43).
- Location
- Not on display
- Exhibition history
-
Exhibited:
2016, 19 Mar-29 May, National Museum, Delhi, The Everlasting Flame
2013 Oct-Dec, Brunei, SOAS, 'Everlasting Flame: Zoroastrianism in History and Imagination'
2007 BM, G52/IRAN/2
2006 13 Apr-Dec BM, G2/71
1997 3 Jul-31 Dec BM, exhibition: "Pottery in the Making", Museum of Mankind
1995 17 Nov - 2005 16 Dec - BM, G52/IRAN/23/1
1994 16 Jun-23 Dec - BM, G49/IRAN
1975 Jul-ca 1990 BM, Iranian Room [I.R.], case 2, "Iran: The Early Iron Age", no. 4
1960s BM, Persian Landing [P.L.], wall-case [WC] 1, top shelf
1930s BM, Iranian Room [I.R.], wall-case 2/3
- Acquisition date
- 1937
- Acquisition notes
- One of five items, including four painted Sialk-type pots, itemised and illustrated in a letter from J. Moussa to S. Smith, dated 24 March 1938. Only this pot appears to have been acquired; acquisition reported to Trustees 30 March 1937.
- Department
- Middle East
- BM/Big number
- 129072
- Registration number
- 1937,0410.1
