Asia Minor, Western Anatolia, Yortan Culture, Early Bronze Age, ca. 2700 to 2300 BCE. Hand-built and fired to a glossy black finish, this is a kernos, a collection of connected jars made for holding offerings. Each of the three jars here, which are joined by thick ribs to form a roughly triangular shape when viewed from above, would have originally held a different kind of offering. A simple straight handle projects upward from one side. The sides of each vessel are incised with radiating lines from rim to base. The kernos form is also known from the Cycladic culture and may have been shared between the two. Size: 6.35" W x 3.95" H (16.1 cm x 10 cm)

The Yortan culture is known, because of a burial site in the valley of Bakir Cai that has not been well-studied as of yet. Adults and children were buried, crouched, in large terracotta storage containers; around them were placed a great deal of pottery in the form of jugs, jars, and occasionally bowls, much of it blackware just like this piece. An incredibly rare and well-preserved example from a little-known culture!

See a similar example at the British Museum: https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=369542&partId=1&place=34266&plaA=34266-3-1&page=2

Provenance: private East Coast, USA collection; ex-Gorny & Mosch

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.

We ship worldwide to most countries and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.

#146850

Intact, with light deposits on the surface. Nice preservation of form.