Spouted jar

Salut
Muscat, Office of HE the Adviser to HM the Sultan for Cultural Affairs
Pottery; D (base) 10, H 14 cm
12th century BC

Bridge-spouted jars, as the one in the picture, represent a key type for the sites of south-eastern Arabia during the Iron Age. With a capacity of less than half liter and a large spout with a u-shaped end, these jars were probably used for pouring liquids into other vessels. They have been recovered in different archaeological contexts (settlements, graves, collective buildings, cultic sites, etc.) but it seems they were mostly used in social contexts where drinks where shared among the participants. (AP)