Pouring vessel. Amlash Culture, Iran, 2nd–1st millennium B.C.

Pouring vessel. Amlash Culture, Iran, 2nd–1st millennium B.C.
Ceramic.
Provenance: private collection, France. Acquired at various auction houses between the 1970s and 2010.
It has a crack at the tip of the spout.
Measurements: 31.5 cm in length.

This vessel belongs to the ceramic repertoire associated with the Amlash culture, which flourished in the mountainous regions of northern Iran between the late 2nd and 1st millennia BCE. Its structure combines a globular body with a pronounced horizontal orientation, a wide upper rim, an arched rear handle, and a long tubular spout that defines the piece’s formal character.

The upward projection of the spout creates a striking hallmark of contrast with the compact volume of the vessel, transforming a functional object into a form with a remarkable sculptural presence. The simplicity of the form, the absence of added ornamentation, and the burnished finish are characteristic of works in which the silhouette and the balance of the volumes take center stage.

This type of vessel has been associated with the serving and pouring of liquids, in both everyday and ceremonial and funerary contexts. Its design, conceived to precisely control the flow through a narrow, elongated spout, reflects the close relationship between utility and formal innovation achieved by the pottery of ancient Iran.