Description
This ewer is one of the earliest
gold vessels known. Three similar examples are in the Museum
of Anatolian Civilizations in Ankara and one in the Metropolitan
Museum of Art, New York. All were made in the cradle of metalworking
techniques, Anatolia (modern Turkey), during the Bronze Age.
The method of manufacture of this ewer
is remarkably sophisticated for its date. It is raised
from a sheet of gold, embossed
with grid patterns separated by ribs, with the handle applied separately. The
bottom is decorated with a swastika, an ancient symbol of good fortune.
More information about this object will
be added shortly.
Glossaries
ewer - a large pitcher
or water jug
raised - formed from a single sheet of metal by repeated
hammering over an anvil
embossed - the relief decoration of metals
the
Gilbert silver