Assignment 3: Ancient Bowls

Troy Lynn Hamzy

Googling "Ancient Ceramic Bowls" will bring up some interesting objects. I have copied information from their respective Web sites and pasted it below each photo. Needless to say I am attracted to them.

Ancient Egyptian Bowl - Lotuses

Found at Abydos, Tomb F 15, this bowl dates from the joint reign of Hatshepsut and Thutmose III, between 1479 and 1458 BCE. It is made of Egyptian paste, with the design being incised while wet and most likely brought out with ink after firing. Quite lovely bowls such as this were made in the New Kingdom, as well as many other objects made of the turquoise blue Egyptian paste. The interior of this bowl shows closed lotus blossoms extending from a central pool, with fish swimming between them. Bowls such as this were used as votive objects in tombs, temples, and shrines, especially those dedicated to Hathor (the goddess of love, motherhood and joy). Image Courtesy of Kallie Szczepanski, About.com Guide to Asian History. More...

Mixtec Painted Bowl

Mexico 1200 AD - 1500 AD Beautiful Mixtec shallow bowl from the post-classic period. Exterior is very nicely painted in bright white on red ground. Circles, lines and dots create a repeating serpent pattern around a central stylized avian image. Overall design is a representation of Quetzalcoatl (the feathered serpent), one of Mesoamerica's most important deities. The interior is a soft orange-tan with a white and red stripe at the rim. A few minor dings and scraps remain. An unusually fine example and a rare form. Nice manganese deposits. Approx 6.25" across x 1.75" tall. More...