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Thursday 5 November 2015

A master potter's hand

When I saw the photo of this beautiful pot I immediately wanted to share it, and to handle it.  I love the glossy black slip, and the way it segues into that wonderful striped band, echoing the flow from the spout when in use.  It would not look out of place at the Contemporary Ceramics Centre or a West End gallery,  but it was excavated from the ancient city site of Kerma, in the Sudan, and was made some time between 2500 BC and 1450 BC.   




Spouted ceramic beaker from Kerma, Kingdom of Kush, 2500-1450 BC.
© Trustees of British Museum


[And see the British Museum blog by curator Anna Garnett: Linking Cultures, September 1st] 

2 comments:

  1. Wow. 1450 BC? or longer? I love it too. It's so perfect and intact! How can that happen? I always wish I'd gone into archaeology ---

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    1. Thanks for your comment - I just fell for the photograph and have not yet made it to the BM to see it. Every time I plan a visit something crops up and I don't get there. Maybe this summer?

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