A Nabataean shallow 'egg shell' bowl in the characteristic bright orange colour of Nabataean pottery caused by the high level of iron in the clay. The vessel has a plain nearly-vertical rim, a carinated body and stands on a low ring base.
 
Nabataean: Circa 1st century BC to 2nd century AD.
 
Very Fine condition; complete and intact; a few light accretions.
Diameter 14 cms (5.5 ins)
 
Provenance: Ex David Gold collection, deceased, London 1990's
 
Nabateans were originally Arabian nomads from the Negev Desert who first amassed their wealth as traders on the Incense Routes. Their constant travel on these routes intimately familiarized them with the area and their skill in finding, and preserving, sources of water enabled them to transport goods more quickly and efficiently than others. They settled in Jordan and the surrounding area and are perhaps best known today for the ruins of their capital city of Petra. Amongst their many accomplishments, they developed a high reputation for their skills in pottery, in particular the egg-shell thin, red pottery with black designs which today are valued in many hundreds and even thousands of pounds.