Ancient Central Asia, Pakistan / Afghanistan, Indus Valley, Kushan Empire / Gandhara, ca. 400 CE. A wheel-formed pottery pot of an exceptionally large size that was used as a storage vessel. Painted on the surface are stylized horses, boars, and birds in hues of umber and black. Many people of the Kushan empire were nomadic cattle herders relying heavily on their animals for food, transportation, and safety. In fact, boars were symbols of protection, virility, and victory, and their iconography may have made its way into the Indus region from the Persia and Zoroastrianism, the deity Verethragna sometimes manifests as a boar. This monumental piece is exceedingly rare, and we almost never see Gandhara or Kushan pottery on the market - especially of this size! Size: 18"Diameter x 17" H (45.7 cm x 43.2 cm)

The Kushan Empire controlled part of the Silk Road, encompassing the Gandharan region, and their territory included present-day Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, as well as northern India. Under Kushan's rule Gandhara flourished and achieved a "Golden Period" of art and architecture. Vessels like this example hint at the intricate creations and zoomorphic stylization that people were able to achieve during this period. Artistic endeavors seem to serve the primary function to promote the empire and religious beliefs.

This piece has been tested using thermoluminescence (TL) analysis and has been found to be ancient and of the period stated. A full printed and bound report will accompany the item upon purchase.

Provenance: private Vero Beach, Florida, USA collection, acquired before 2003

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#177247

Repaired and restored. Losses and abrasions to base. Flaking and chipping to pigments and active flaking when handled. Losses to motifs but areas are discernable. Tl hole on neck and second Tl hole on base. Mineral and earthen encrustations on interior.