ITEM: Bowl with incised decoration MATERIAL: Pottery CULTURE: Medieval, Merovingian PERIOD: 3rd - 1st Century B.C DIMENSIONS: 70 mm x 93 mm diameter CONDITION: Good condition PROVENANCE: Ex French private collection, acquired before 1980s PARALLEL: Musée Saint-Remi, Inv. 979.3.8. Wikimedia Commons, Saint-Denis, Paris The Merovingian period (c. 5th to 8th centuries CE) saw the production of various types of bowls with incised decoration, primarily in ceramic and occasionally in metal (copper alloy or bronze). These vessels, found across the Frankish kingdoms, reflect a blend of late Roman traditions and emerging Germanic artistic styles. In ceramics, the decoration was a key feature of "fine wares" like carinated and globular bowls, applied through a combination of incisions, stamp impressions, and stamping wheels. This decoration, often consisting of common, simple geometric patterns such as lozenges, triangles, and annulets (small circles), served to break up the smooth surface and provide a visual texture to what was essentially tableware for individual consumption. The artistic significance of the incised decoration lies in its move away from classical figural art towards the abstract, ornamental designs characteristic of Early Medieval Germanic art. While the bowls themselves retained forms inherited from the Roman world, the motifs utilized the emerging vocabulary of the era. This included geometric interlace patterns, as well as highly stylized animal motifs (sometimes referred to as Style I or Style II Germanic Animal Style, though more common in fine metalwork like brooches). The incisions created a stark, linear contrast against the vessel's surface, and whether applied by hand or by tool, these patterns served as a crucial form of regional and workshop identification, with certain motifs being characteristic of specific production sites. Functionally, Merovingian bowls with incised decoration served both domestic and ritual purposes. Ceramic bowls were largely domestic tableware, common in both settlement sites and graves. Metal bowls, particularly those of bronze or copper alloy, were far rarer and more prestigious. These could include items like the Frankish/Merovingian bronze bowls occasionally found in Anglo-Saxon contexts (like in the Isle of Wight) or vessels whose incised patterns, particularly on fine metalwork, might have alluded to the intricate designs found on high-status items like the famous hanging bowls or elite weaponry. The presence of these decorated bowls in rich Merovingian graves underscores their value as funerary goods, acting as a statement of wealth and a symbol of the deceased's social standing within the Frankish hierarchy. Comes with Certificate of Authenticity and Export license If you bid outside the European Union and win the item, we will have to apply for an export licence for your country and shipping will take 3 to 5 weeks.