Late 2nd to early 1st millennia B.C. / Northwestern Iran / Namio Egami collection, Department of Archaeology of Western Asia, UMUT

This pottery vessel represents a hump-backed bull, a popular domesticated animal in northwestern Iran. While the humped back appears relatively natural, the spouted mouth is evidently stylized, reflecting the earlier tradition of spouted vessel production. The pierced ears suggest the original use of metal earrings. Such vessels are usually found intact in human graves. They were probably utilized during funeral rituals, but their exact functions and utilization remain unknown.

IMTH_EG_000033