Holyland pottery Spouted vessel - 135 mm

"Holy Land Pottery Feeding Vessel

Culture / Period: Holy Land / Late Bronze Age – Early Iron Age
Date / Period: 1200 – 1000 B.C.
Material: Pottery
Dimensions: 135 mm
Condition: Repair to the rim area. Otherwise in good condition with surface wear and deposits consistent with age. Handles and spout preserved.

No shipping outside the European Union. Due to complex export regulations concerning cultural goods, this item cannot be shipped outside the EU. Please ensure you have a delivery address within the European Union before placing a bid.

Provenance information:
Object Registration ID: 110

The current owner purchased the object from a private collector, N.N., in Oosterbeek, the Netherlands.

The previous owner, a private collector, N.N. from Oosterbeek, stated that the object had been in his collection since 2025.

According to the previous owner, the object had previously been part of a private collection in the Netherlands since the 1980s.

According to the previous owner, the vessel originates from Israel.

No further information concerning the earlier ownership history of the object was available from the previous owner.

Background Information:
This pottery feeding vessel dates to the transitional period between the Late Bronze Age and the Early Iron Age, approximately 1200 – 1000 B.C., and originates from the region of the ancient Holy Land, present-day Israel. The vessel is characterised by a globular body, two opposing loop handles, a short neck with everted rim, and a projecting tubular spout positioned on the shoulder. Such forms are commonly identified as feeding or pouring vessels and are known from archaeological contexts throughout the Levant.

Vessels of this type were likely used for the controlled pouring of liquids such as milk, water, oils, or medicinal preparations. In some cases, similar examples are associated with infant feeding or with ritual and domestic pouring functions. The narrow spout allowed liquids to be dispensed carefully and gradually, making the vessel practical for daily household activities.

During the period around 1200 – 1000 B.C., the southern Levant underwent significant cultural and political change following the collapse of major Late Bronze Age powers in the eastern Mediterranean. Communities in the region increasingly relied on local agricultural production and regional trade networks, while ceramic workshops continued long-established pottery traditions adapted to local needs. Pottery remained one of the most essential elements of daily life, providing durable containers for storage, preparation, transport, and serving.

The balanced form and functional design of this vessel reflect the technical abilities of Levantine potters during the early Iron Age. Comparable examples have been excavated from settlement layers and domestic contexts throughout Israel and neighbouring regions, illustrating the widespread use of such practical ceramic wares within ancient households.

This piece forms a tangible connection to the ancient world, where vessels of this kind played an important role in everyday domestic life more than three thousand years ago."