Vessel in the form of a bull

Small earthenware jug in the shape of a bull’s head with horns. The body of the jug thick, irregular in shape, and a flat base. The jug leans to one side and has a wide mouth and beak-shaped or pointed spout. Small, impressed horizontal dashes on one side and on the back (opposite to spout). Holes impressed below horns, depict eyes? Gray-brown earthenware.

Historical period(s)
Iron Age II, 1000-800 BCE
Medium
Clay
Dimensions
H x W x D: 11.6 x 6.8 x 13.2 cm (4 9/16 x 2 11/16 x 5 3/16 in)
Geography
Iran
Credit Line
Gift of Joan and Frank Mount
Collection
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
Accession Number
S1996.99
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Ceramic, Vessel
Type

Zoomorphic vessel

Keywords
bull, Iran, Iron Age II (ca. 1250 - 800 BCE), WWII-era provenance
Provenance

To 1965
Galerie Israel, Tel Aviv, to 1965 [1]

From 1965 to 1996
Frank and Joan Mount, Alexandria, VA, purchased from Galerie Israel in 1965

From 1996
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, given by Frank and Joan Mount in 1996

Notes:

[1] According to Provenance Remark 1 in the object record.

Previous Owner(s) and Custodian(s)

Frank and Joan Mount
Galerie Israel

Description

Small earthenware jug in the shape of a bull's head with horns. The body of the jug thick, irregular in shape, and a flat base. The jug leans to one side and has a wide mouth and beak-shaped or pointed spout. Small, impressed horizontal dashes on one side and on the back (opposite to spout). Holes impressed below horns, depict eyes? Gray-brown earthenware.

Collection Area(s)
Ancient Near Eastern Art
Web Resources
Google Cultural Institute
SI Usage Statement

Usage Conditions Apply

There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page.

The information presented on this website may be revised and updated at any time as ongoing research progresses or as otherwise warranted. Pending any such revisions and updates, information on this site may be incomplete or inaccurate or may contain typographical errors. Neither the Smithsonian nor its regents, officers, employees, or agents make any representations about the accuracy, reliability, completeness, or timeliness of the information on the site. Use this site and the information provided on it subject to your own judgment. The Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery welcome information that would augment or clarify the ownership history of objects in their collections.

citation | Save this image How to download an image | Request Permission | Terms of Use