Two-handled Jar
This fine two-handled vessel, which likely once had a flat lid, is made of purple- and turquoise-glazed faience, a vitreous material of ground quartz mixed with small amounts of lime and natron or plant ash. At the junction of the vessel’s shoulder and body a stylised band of leaves is applied above a ring of fluting.
These leaves are evocative of the custom of draping urns with bronze or vegetal wreaths, introduced to Egypt by Alexandrian Greeks during the Ptolemaic period. It may also relate to the Egyptian practice of placing garlands around the necks of mummified people, which dates back to the New Kingdom. These also resemble the wreaths depicted on Roman Period funerary panel portraits and masks. While the vessel's decoration suggests that it could have been used in a funerary context, it may also have been used in daily life as a storage jar.
These leaves are evocative of the custom of draping urns with bronze or vegetal wreaths, introduced to Egypt by Alexandrian Greeks during the Ptolemaic period. It may also relate to the Egyptian practice of placing garlands around the necks of mummified people, which dates back to the New Kingdom. These also resemble the wreaths depicted on Roman Period funerary panel portraits and masks. While the vessel's decoration suggests that it could have been used in a funerary context, it may also have been used in daily life as a storage jar.
Artwork Details
- Title: Two-handled Jar
- Period: Roman Period
- Date: 4th century A.D.
- Geography: From Egypt
- Medium: Glazed faience
- Dimensions: H. 16.5 × Diam. 18 cm (6 1/2 × 7 1/16 in.)
- Credit Line: Theodore M. Davis Collection, Bequest of Theodore M. Davis, 1915
- Object Number: 30.8.140
- Curatorial Department: Egyptian Art
More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
A.D. 2nd century
ca. 1st–2nd century A.D
1st-2nd century A.D.
1st century A.D.
1st–mid 4th century
Research Resources
The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.