JEWISH PILGRIMS JAR
NEAR EAST, LATE 6TH TO EARLY 7TH CENTURY
£2,750
African & Oceanic Art, Antiquities and Natural History
Auction: 24 November 2021 at 10:00 GMT
Description
glass, the body of hexagonal form, with thin neck and tubular rim, decorated with a menorah and palm branch
Dimensions
7.4cm tall
Footnote
Provenance:
From the collection of a central London gentleman, formed 1960s onwards
Note:
"These vessels were made for Jews and Christians, possibly as tokens for pilgrims visiting the holy sites in Jerusalem or for use in burial rites. They appear to have been mass-produced in a single workshop, since the vessels for the two religions closely resemble each other in shape and style and differ only in the symbols decorating them. The Jewish vessels depict the menorah (candelabrum), shofar (ram’s horn), incense shovel, and lulav (palm branch). The Christian vessels are decorated with several types of crosses. The relief designs were produced by blowing molten glass into a mold."
The Metropolitan Museum, 2021
For a similar example please see; The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, acccession number 1972.118.180