Biconical Terracotta Bowl from Tepe Giyan

Culture: Iran/Tepe Giyan

Period: 1600-1400 B.C.

Material: Terracotta

Dimensions: 9.5 cm high

Price: Sold

Ref: 6617

Provenance: Austrian private collection Prof. Josef Mairitsch (1938-1994) with the inventory number 40. Acquired between 1960 and the early 1980s. Thence in the family estate. With a collection note.

Condition: Minor wear on the rim, otherwise intact.

Description: Biconical terracotta bowl from Iranian Tepe Giyan with beautiful dark brown paint. The vessel stands on a set off foot ring with a concave base. The wall of the body protrudes, has a bend in the centre of the body and tapers towards the neck. The neck itself curves concavely and ends in the far pulled out rim. The painting is applied above the wall bend in two registers, each marked at the bottom by a thick, circumferential baseline. In the first one are on both sides five triangles with applied grid decoration, in between two branches each and vertical lines. In the register above short vertical lines wander like stick figures around the vessel, with these lines also overcoming six extensively painted large triangles. See for the form Christie’s auction on 7 October 2010, lot 307. As well as for the painting and form the example in the Louvre with the inventory number AO 16110.