Bushel with ibex motifs | |
---|---|
Material | Terracotta |
Height | 28.9 cm |
Width | 16.4 cm |
Created | c. 3,850 BC |
Discovered |
c. 1907 Shush, Khuzestan, Iran |
Present location | Paris, Ile-de-France, France |
The bushel with ibex motifs, also known as the beaker with ibex motifs, is a prehistoric pottery artifact originating from Susa, an ancient city in the Near East located in modern-day Iran. [1] [2] This piece of art is believed to have been created during the Susa I period, between 4200 and 3500 BCE. [1] The bushel is a large vessel, measuring 28.9 x 16.4 cm, and was used as a funerary item among the first inhabitants of Susa. [1] [2] [3]
The bushel is considered an example of animal style, a decorative approach in art that emphasizes animal motifs. [4] The bushel features various animal motifs including long-necked birds in the upper register, thought to be a kind of wading water bird commonly seen in the region's plains during winter. [5] The next register showcases reclining dogs, which are believed to be saluki or greyhound type hunting dogs typical of the area. [5]
The most notable feature of the bushel is the ibex, or mountain goat, motifs, located below the dogs. [5] The ibex, a native of the Zagros Mountain range near Susa, is portrayed in a non-naturalistic style using simple shapes such as triangles. [1] [3] The goat's horns are depicted as arched back over its body, forming a circle. [5] The roundness of the horns and other geometric elements of the bushel are said to emphasize its cylindrical shape. [1]
The bushel was discovered during a 1906–1908 excavation of a Susian necropolis led by Jacques de Morgan. [1] [6] It is now housed in the Louvre Museum in Paris, France, where it is recognized as a unique and well-crafted piece. [2] [5]