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Clay jar: E.P.16

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An image of Jar
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An image of Jar
Current Location: Gallery 24

Titles

Clay jar

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Categories

Description

Clay jar, cylindrical, with two handles and vine-leaf, female faces, fish and dot decoration, in red, yellow, black and white.

Clay cylindrical jar with two handles and painted decoration. On the shoulder is a vine-leaf motif and on the body are rows of faces, fish, blobs and bands. This type of colourful pottery is typical of that made in Nubia, in particular Meroe during the Roman period. the frontal faces are a typical motif and it has been suggested that here they represent women because their skin is painted pinkish-shite as was the convention for women. Some of the faces are less carefully executed, one is without any pupils for the eyes and several have blurred outlines. the faces have been painted in the following sequence: the yellow on white background first, then the facial features in black and finally a red outline. It has been suggested that the line accross the forehead is a tribal mark; it could also represent a disk worn by the goddess Hathor. This vessel is a vibrant mix of Roman, Nubian and Egyptian motifs. The clay is Nile silt.

Measurements and weight

Height: 0.341 m
Width: 0.212 m

Dating

Roman
1 AD - 100 AD

Materials used in production

Clay

Techniques used in production

Painted
Wheelmade

References and bibliographic entries

Related exhibitions

Identification numbers

Accession number: E.P.16
Primary reference Number: 64089
Oldadmincategory: P

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Friday 18 July 2025

Associated departments & institutions

Owner or interested party: The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department: Antiquities

Citation for print

This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:

The Fitzwilliam Museum (2025) "Clay jar" Web page available at: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/64089 Accessed: 2025-12-07 18:35:40

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{{cite web|url=https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/64089 |title=Clay jar |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2025-12-07 18:35:40|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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