A Holy Land amphora storage vessel with spherical body and two ledge handles. The vessel has a wide, slightly out-turned mouth, below which runs a band of corded decoration in relief and below that a further band of prick-dot decoration, a rare combination. Two prominent ledge handles, gently crimped appearance to the edges, are situated at the waist. Standing on a flat base.
A fine example with both the ledge handle and decoration that are iconic representations of this period.
 
Early Bronze age Palestine: Circa 3100-2900 BC.
 
A few minor surface chips to rim, otherwise complete and intact with good fabric and light accretions, no repairs or restorations.
Height 25 cms (10 ins).
Weight 1.1 kg.
 
A good display of such pottery with similar decoration may be seen at The Art & History Museum, Brussels.
 
Amongst the earliest of civilisations which flourished in the barren Bible lands, the peoples of the Early Bronze Age who built the first cities produced pottery without the aid of a wheel, which was beautifully and simply crafted.