Ancient Near East, Iraq/Holy Land, ca. 6th to 8th century CE. A Judeo-Aramaic “devil trap” terracotta bowl with fine black lines of inscription spiraling around the interior. In the center of the bowl's interior is a simple anthropomorphic figure. Bowls like this example were traditionally buried face down under houses to catch demons and thus protect the house; they are also known as incantation bowls or demon bowls. They seem to have been widely used; for example, nearly every house excavated in the Jewish Iraqi settlement of Nippur had one. Size: 6.5" W x 2.95" H (16.5 cm x 7.5 cm)

Provenance: private Texas, USA collection

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#123542

Well done repair on one side that is difficult to see. Much of the writing remains.