Ancient Egyptian jar dated 900 – 700 BC

Spherical vessel with cylindrical neck made of worn faience, the glaze largely missing but originally probably pale green. The body of the vessel is decorated with carved relief in three registers. The bottom register in the schematised form of an open flower, with black staining, presumably from manganese pigment applied before glazing. The middle register has a background of tall lotus or papyrus plants. In front of this are three identical scenes of a naked female, possibly a dwarf, with a duck flying before them. The pubic triangle and hair of the females, and the outstretched wings of the ducks, were once also highlighted in black, seen in photograph in 1971 auction catalogue. The top register is a series of plain horizontal bands alternating with bands of vertical lines, the effect is of a schematic floral collar.

Ancient Egyptian jar dated 900 – 700 BC

Object details

  • Reference: BOLMG:2009.7
  • Material: faience
  • Culture: Egyptian or East Mediterranean
  • Period: Third Intermediate Period
  • Dated: 900 - 700 BC
  • Previous owner: Mr David David-Weill
  • Object name: jar
  • Dimensions: Length: 108mm , Width: 108mm , Depth: 102mm
  • Published references: A. Caubet and E. du Puytison-Lagarce 'Vases en faïence de Chypre', Report of the Department of Antiquities, Cyprus (1972) 113-128, published as comparanda to Louvre AO 569. The latter published in A Caubet (ed.), Faiences de l'antiquite (Paris, 2005), p.