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This is an excellent example of an ancient earthenware carinated pottery flagon made in production centers in throughout the Roman Empire. This was made in, the Roman-North-Africa territory called Africa-Proconsularis. These pouring vessels locally made by provincial artisans were used specifically to hold and pour water, wine and other liquids and placed in kitchens, on…
Wing or ear cups (yushang), a term that describes its side flange-like additions to its ovoid body, appeared as early as the Zhou dynasty (1046-256 BCE) made in lacquer and later from a variety of materials. Lacquerware cups were used as dining vessels used for rituals and ceremonies contain fragrances, food or wine; and the…
Mingqi are ancient earthenware pottery items usually made using a bivalve mould and covered with a lead glaze that fired to a dark green. The lead in the glaze often combined with tomb dampness for centuries creating a chemical reaction changing its coloring into a lustrous and iridescent green seen here. Han mingqi were ancestral…
Artisans in the Roman Empire created varying local styles of terracotta figurines of gods and goddesses for placement on home shrines. This figure holding a jar represents Haroprates the ancient Greek god of silence and secrets. He may be an image of a royal and temple cult since he wears a double crown that symbolized…
This Biblical Period ancient earthenware wine jug was made in the late Iron Age in the Holy Land of Judea (the Levant) about the time of the first Jewish Temple. A very high carinated piece, it was built using the coil construction method and the paddle and anvil technique. Like most pouring vessels, it was…
This terracotta figurine from Alexandria in the Roman Egypt depicting a female holding a young child was probably placed in a home shrine to provide favors and protection. Although it is difficult to identify specific deities, this figure is probably a kourotrophos (meaning woman nurturing a child) –a female mortal or deity figurine with an…
This is an excellent example of an earthenware carinated flagon made in a Roman-Empire ceramic production center in the Roman-North-Africa territory called Africa-Proconsularis. The word flagon is derived from the Greek word for flask and is a larger, taller variant of a Greek flask used for oils (lagynos). Wheel made for the lower classes, undecorated…
Nandi is among the most frequent Hindu deities worshiped in public places, temples, homes, or on a home altar throughout India. As one of Hinduism’s mythical animals, Nandi is Shiva’s vahana, (his mount that transports him), attendant and leader of his attendants and guardian of all four-footed animals. A recumbent image of Nandi on a…
Metal oil lamps (diyas) made for deities in Hinduism are recognized by distinct designs, symbols or figures which identify specific deities to devotees wish to offer their prayers used in homes and temples for daily prayers (puja). This heavy brass antique votive from India is a Vishnu diya with a shallow yoni shaped cup, short…
This antique brocaded bible or document holder from Bolivia is decorated with symbolic stylized flowers widely used in Christianity: passion flowers and roses. Nicolas Monardes, a 16th century Spanish doctor was one of the first Europeans to see a passion flower which is native to South America, who found 22 species and brought them back…
This antique brocaded document or bible cover from Bolivia is decorated with symbolic stylized flowers widely used in Christianity: passion flowers and roses. Nicolas Monardes, a 16th century Spanish doctor was one of the first Europeans to see a passion flower which is native to South America, who found 22 species and brought them back …
A stupa is a memorial shrine and a sacred burial mound to house sacred relics associated with the Buddha or other Buddhist saintly persons, a symbol of the Buddha’s enlightenment and a model of the Buddhist cosmos (McArthur, p. 179). Initially they were hemispherical mound-like shapes and were transformed in East Asia into a pagoda…
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