- Museum number
- 132973
- Description
-
Burnished grey-ware hump-backed bull-shaped pottery vessel; the mouth is a spout. Radiography indicates probable method of manufacture, namely by coiling. The body was made first, built up on a flat slab of clay which now forms the underside of the belly. The back was probably formed by the application of another slab of clay to produce an open shoe-like form. Construction continued with the addition of further coils to form the neck and head. The roughly horizontal lines in this region which are visible on a radiograph may indicate the joins between successive coils. The top of the head appears to have been closed by a slab of clay and the muzzle formed by slitting open the front of the neck. Finally, the horns, tail, dewlap and feet were modelled from small additional pieces of clay.
- Production date
- 1000BC-800BC (about)
- Dimensions
-
Height: 17 centimetres
-
Length: 20 centimetres
-
Width: 9 centimetres
- Curator's comments
- This may have been a ceremonial type of vessel later placed in a grave and many others of this class are known although few come from controlled excavations, the notable exceptions being from the cemetery of Marlik (Negahban, 'Marlik'; articles in ILN 28th april 1962, pp. 663-64 & suppl, 5th May 1962, pp.699-701) ,. Xeroradiography was conducted on this particular piece and shows how the vessel was constructed (DSR file no. 6890, dated 21 February 1997). Soon after acquisition, it was the subject of an article by R.D. Barnett in 'Apollo' (November 1962), pp.730-31. It was illustrated on the cover of the leaflet accompanying the Barcelona exhibition on "Bulls: Image and cult in the ancient Mediterranean" (2002). A cast was listed as previously available in the British Museum Facsimile Service 'Catalogue of Replicas from British Museum collections' (n.d.), in the series "Persia".
There are many unprovenanced examples of this class but some are heavily restored and others are not authentic. Examples include:
Artcurial: 'Arts d'Orient et de l'Islam', Paris sale 9 October 2012, lot 75.
Other comparanda for this class:
Ghirshman, '7000 Ans d'art en Iran', pp.14-15, pl. XI; 'Kunst der Welt in den Berliner Museen', p.4; Godard, 'L'Art de l'Iran', p.85; G. Fehervari et al., 'Art of the Eastern World' (1996), pp.16-17, cat.5; H. Mahboubian, 'Art of Ancient Iran: Copper and Bronze' (London 1997), p.87, cat. 52 (in bronze)..
- Location
- On display (G52/dc2)
- Exhibition history
-
Exhibited:
2016, 19 Mar-29 May, National Museum, Delhi, The Everlasting Flame
2007- BM, G52/IRAN/2
2006 13 Apr-Dec, BM, G2/75
2003 19 Mar-7 Jun, Greece, Athens, Benaki Museum, 'The Bull in the Mediterranean World'
2002-2003 14 November-6 March, Spain, Barcelona, Salo del Tinell, 'The Bull in the Mediterranean World'
1997 3 Jul-31 Dec, London, BM Museum of Mankind, 'Pottery in the Making' 1995-2005 17 Nov-14 Dec, BM, G52/IRAN/24
1994 16 Jun-23 Dec, BM, G49/IRAN
1975-ca 1990 Jul-, BM, Iranian Room [IR], case 2, "Iran: The Early Iron Age", no. 3
1960s BM, Persian Landing [PL], wall-case [WC] 1, second shelf
- Condition
- Restored from numerous fragments but with little make-up.
- Acquisition date
- 1962
- Department
- Middle East
- BM/Big number
- 132973
- Registration number
- 1962,0718.1
