MEHRGARH, Pakistan, circa 3000-2500 B.C. - Lot 2

MEHRGARH, Pakistan, circa 3000-2500 B.C. Vase on circular foot with straight, slightly concave sides, decorated with a bird of prey in flight and a deer lying in profile Orange terracotta with brown and coffee-red decoration Slight chips on the neck Height Height : 5.5 cm Diameter: 8.4 cm Mehrgarh, located in the Indus Valley, is one of the oldest known Neolithic sites, marking a crucial transition from hunter-gatherer communities to the first sedentary agricultural societies. The site bears witness to the early domestication of plants and animals in the region, as well as the development of the first agricultural tools and decorated pottery. Mehrgarh ceramics, of which this vase is one, illustrate great technical and aesthetic mastery, with elaborate decorations produced before the advent of writing. Animal iconography, such as raptors and deer, reflects the immediate environment of the inhabitants, where local fauna played an essential role in their livelihood and worldview. Provenance: Collection of Dr. Kenneth GRAHAM Expert : Serge REYNES