Large Indus Valley Zoomorphic Painted Jar

$2,211.49

An extremely rare, large Indus Valley terracotta jar featuring a painted globular body. The lower part of its bulbous body sharply narrows to a supporting ring base, forming a strong contrast with its upper portion which gently tapers into a narrowing mouth with a straightened lip. Two dark-brown painted continuous bands run across the middle of the body, separating the undecorated lower part from the richly ornamented upper body. The upper section is decorated with zoomorphic symmetrical representations repeated around the wall, including a central bird with wide-spread wings and two serpents either side of it. Careful detailing can be seen across the birds and serpents, outlining the feathers and scales. The zoomorphic images are portrayed in the iconic Indus Valley style.

Date: Circa 2500-2000 BC
Condition: Very fine condition, with the original pigment largely survived on the surface.

In stock

SKU: HL-459 Category: Tags: , , , ,

The Indus Valley is a Bronze Age civilization from the Near East, which lasted from 3300 BC to 31 BC. It was discovered when engraved seals were found in the Pakistani province of Punjab in 1920-21, first in a site called Harappa and then all along the Indus River. Indus Valley inhabitants were known to be skilled in a wide range of techniques, but it is thanks to pottery production that they have been appreciated by archaeologists and collectors. Most of the pottery finds can be dated back to the Nal culture, which flourished in the north-west region of the Indus Valley. Their terracotta works are characterized by a linear style, a geometric repetition of shapes and lines. Also, animals and plants, rendered in a stylised manner, feature heavily on their creations.  Pigments would have been added to enrich such vessels, which would have been used in everyday life but also placed in the tombs with the deceased as grave goods.

Weight 6800 g
Dimensions W 41 x H 30 cm
Culture

Pottery and Porcelain

Region

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