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Ancient Cypriot Blackware Jug with Incised Geometric Decoration

$550
£414.41
€484.40
CA$778.85
A$793.18
CHF 455.32
MX$9,571.15
NOK 5,276.91
SEK 5,349.40
DKK 3,621.55

About the Item

A charming, handmade blackware jug with incised decoration, iconic of early Bronze Age pottery production on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus before the invention of the potters wheel. The incised geometric design is typical of the Early-Middle Cypriot period (c.2100-1750 BC) – also seen in the celebrated Plank Idols of the same period – and has become synonymous with early Cypriot artistic expression. These types of vessels were typically handmade from dark clay, with the characteristic ‘blackware’ appearance coming from precise firing conditions and a natural burnish, a technique that was increasingly refined during this period of artistic production. Before firing, artisans carved linear and geometric designs into the vessel’s surface using a sharp tool, which were then incised with a lime-based paint, giving the contrasting, white appearance. Small jugs such as this were not merely functional objects, but are believed to have held important roles within Cypriot society. Frequently discovered in tombs and sanctuaries, they are thought to have served as votive or funerary offerings, symbolic representations of sustenance or ritual practice deposited there for the benefit of the deceased. Indeed, it is the reduced scale that suggests a ritual purpose rather than utilitarian one. Cf. Blackware juglet, Frances Lehman Loeb Art Centre, no. CC48.163. Provenance With Pedros Kolokasides, Nicosia, Cyprus; Collection of Lotti Hohl, Switzerland, acquired from the above in 1962 Condition Restored from fragments. Please note that this item is a work of art and is thus exempt from US reciprocal tariffs. ArtAncient are dealers in rare wonders from the formation of the Solar System to late antiquity, discovering, studying and placing objects in extraordinary collections. Please contact us for more details on this piece.
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 2.92 in (7.4 cm)Width: 1.89 in (4.8 cm)Depth: 2.41 in (6.1 cm)
  • Style:
    Prehistoric (Of the Period)
  • Materials and Techniques:
    Pottery
  • Place of Origin:
    Cyprus
  • Period:
    15th Century and Earlier
  • Date of Manufacture:
    Early-Middle Cypriot, 2100-1750 BC
  • Condition:
    Wear consistent with age and use.
  • Seller Location:
    London, GB
  • Reference Number:
    Seller: 434361stDibs: LU1052250445182

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