Help ID Middle East Pottery Flask

jamesk58

Tenderfoot
Joined
Sep 3, 2021
Messages
1
Reaction score
2
Golden Thread
0
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting

Attachments

  • Egyptian Bottle.webp
    Egyptian Bottle.webp
    705.4 KB · Views: 66
  • Bottle w Tape Measure.webp
    Bottle w Tape Measure.webp
    798.6 KB · Views: 55
  • E Top.webp
    E Top.webp
    927.1 KB · Views: 56
Welcome to Tnet

Now that's a nice thing! What a shame it's broken, but I think it would deserve some careful restoration.

My thoughts are that it is indeed Egyptian and probably Late Dynastic. It looks to made of 'faience' rather than pottery as such.

These things are generally known as 'New Year's Bottles (or Flasks)' and were made to hold perfumes, oils and such for ritual use, but also specifically water from the river Nile offered as a celebratory gift for the New Year. The Egyptian New Year began at the start of the flood season, so offering water from the Nile was a particular way of symbolising the new cycle.

Here's a couple of examples (both made from faience):

New Year Bottle 1.webp New Year Bottle 2.webp

Both of these are from the 26th Dynasty and include the cartouche for Ahmose II (570-526 BC). In addition to geometric designs and flowers, these bottles often have other New Year related designs and inscriptions, especially on the 'edge'. These both have "Happy New Year" in hieroglyphs and the first one also has two baboons (sacred to the god Thoth, to whom the first month of the year was dedicated).

Anything on the edge of yours, or any other inscriptions? Look closely on the neck too for any kind of hieroglyph.
 

Last edited:
Upvote 0
PS: As far as I can tell from the pictures, it does not appear to be a modern tourist or period 'collector market' reproduction... but it is always a possibility to be mindful of.
 

Last edited:
Upvote 0

Top Member Reactions

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom