Bactrian Alabaster Chalice
Bactrian Alabaster Chalice
This object was carved from a monolith of calcite (alabaster) that is similar in color and appearance to the stone commonly used by Egyptian sculptors for luxury tableware in the late 4th millennium B.C. already.
2nd millenium B.C.
H: 15.5 cm
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Product Description
This object was carved from a monolith of calcite (alabaster) that is similar in color and appearance to the stone commonly used by Egyptian sculptors for luxury tableware in the late 4th millennium B.C. already. The shape recalls a chalice: a thin and tall stem supports a cylindrical cup, whose wall is slightly flared. This example is the small-sized version of a well attested shape in the Bactrian (modern-day Afghanistan) repertoire of the Middle Bronze Age.
The veins that furrow the stem and the cylindrical vessel emphasize the impression of lightness conveyed by the work’s outline. Such a high degree of accuracy would have been achieved by the use of the centrifugal force produced by the rapid rotation of a potter’s wheel. The vessel was then carefully hand polished with sand for a smooth surface finish.
As is often the case in such remote periods and for cultures preceding the invention of writing, the exact purpose of this object remains unclear: a ritual vase, an incense burner, an offering to a deity or a gift between high-ranking figures are among the possible hypotheses.
