Rare Egyptian Predynastic Naqada III Breccia Jar

Ancient Egypt, Pre-Dynastic Period, Naqada III, ca. 3200 to 3000 BCE. An incredibly rare and finely-preserved example of a utilitarian jar carved from variegated breccia in hues of cream, lavender, and jet-black. The vessel is defined by a round but stable base, a squat spherical body with a sloping shoulder, a deep basin, and a thick discoid rim, and a pair of recessed grooves indicate where the original suspension lugs were situated. The exterior has been polished to be generally smooth in texture, however the interior surface provides for a better understanding of the rough material with which the artisans had to work. Size: 7" W x 4.75" H (17.8 cm x 12.1 cm).

In addition to being quite striking, this jar represents a technological leap forward for the ancient Egyptians. In the early Pre-Dynastic period, artisans hollowed out hard stone vessels using hand-held stone borers and abrasive desert sand. Then, during the Naqada II period (ca. 3600 to 3200 BCE), the invention of copper tubes used to drill very hard stones (in conjunction with sand as an abrasive), allowed people to drill finer forms - like, for example, the grooves indicative of lug handles. However, copper drills only allowed artisans to drill cylindrical items, and so the hollowing out of bulbous vessels like this one still required use of an elongated stone borer in the form of a figure-eight to get under the shoulder. Imagine the hours of work that went into making this single jar!

Provenance: private southern California, USA collection, acquired in the 1970s to mid-1980s

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#147321
Condition Report: Original lug handles missing, though drilled grooves still remain. Small loss to underside of rim, with minor abrasions and nicks to body, lug handle grooves, and rim. Light earthen deposits as well as smooth surface textures throughout.