Cyprus, Iron Age, ca. 700 BCE. An exemplar of Greek Cypriot pottery that preceded the emergence of Classical Greek pottery, with a near-spherical body, conical neck, and trefoil spout, and long bifurcated handle bridging shoulder to spout. Each side is adorned with a target motif -concentric red, black, and white circles surrounded by four smaller black-on-red target motifs - these surrounded by a grand black-on-red target. Numerous targets, arrow, and dotted motifs on shoulder, neck, handle, and spout - all culminating in a masterful work of mesmerizing op-art imagery on this vessel. Size: 9.875" W x 13.5" H (25.1 cm x 34.3 cm)

This is among the finest examples of Cypriot pottery we have ever handled. Similar pieces can only be found in the finest private and museum collections such as the National Archaeological Museum of Perugia in Italy. Adding to the extensive decorative program discussed above are outlines of many more circular, perhaps "target" outlines in white pigment on the body that may have come from neighboring pieces in a tomb, as well as an intriguing arrow like motif above and leading to a target on the shoulder beneath the spout.

Provenance: private collection of James Farmer, Maryland, collected from major galleries and auction houses between 1995 and 2005; A thermoluminescence test determined that this piece is approximately 2700 years old.

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#120528

Surface wear with a few nicks to rim of spout and here and there on the body as well as expected scuffs and pigment loss. Surface also shows mineral deposits and white outlines of repeated circle motif at the lower end that probably came from neighboring pieces in the tomb as discussed.