Hanging bottle with animal head ornament

A hanging bottle, made of buff gray/yellow earthenware. At the top of the vessel, the narrow neck widens and then narrows again, then turns out to a thin, out-turned rim with a carinated ridge and small, pierced lug handles which rise up vertically. The main body is bulbous, and tapers to a pointed hole/spout at exactly the bottom of the vessel. There is a geometric design incised on the upper shoulder and neck of the vessel, comprised of concentric registers of zig-zags. A head of a stylized animal wearing a collar, with triangular ears, oval eyes and an open mouth with a visible tongue protrudes perpendicular to the spout, the animal’s mouth opening downward. The fine clay has been scraped down and slightly burnished.

In very good-excellent condition. Two fragments have been broken off the side of the animal head and stuck back with adhesive. Scattered spalls, firing flaws, accretions.

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Historical period(s)
1800-1200 BCE
Medium
Earthenware
Dimensions
H x W x D: 20.1 x 10.4 x 11 cm (7 15/16 x 4 1/8 x 4 5/16 in)
Geography
Iran
Credit Line
Gift of Victor and Takako Hauge
Collection
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
Accession Number
S1998.327
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Ceramic, Vessel
Type

Bottle

Keywords
animal, earthenware, Hauge collection, Iran
Provenance

From at least 1965 to 1998
Mr. and Mrs. Victor Hauge [1]

From 1998
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, gift of Mr. and Mrs. Victor Hauge in 1998

Notes:

[1] Object record. Acquired in Tehran.

Previous Owner(s) and Custodian(s)

Victor and Takako Hauge (1919-2013, 1923-2015)

Description

A hanging bottle, made of buff gray/yellow earthenware. At the top of the vessel, the narrow neck widens and then narrows again, then turns out to a thin, out-turned rim with a carinated ridge and small, pierced lug handles which rise up vertically. The main body is bulbous, and tapers to a pointed hole/spout at exactly the bottom of the vessel. There is a geometric design incised on the upper shoulder and neck of the vessel, comprised of concentric registers of zig-zags. A head of a stylized animal wearing a collar, with triangular ears, oval eyes and an open mouth with a visible tongue protrudes perpendicular to the spout, the animal's mouth opening downward. The fine clay has been scraped down and slightly burnished.

In very good-excellent condition. Two fragments have been broken off the side of the animal head and stuck back with adhesive. Scattered spalls, firing flaws, accretions.

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