Interesting tribal metalwork vessel for ID (OT)

[Atlantia]

Originally Posted by David

Gene, i'm sorry to be such a stick in the mud here, but i'm afraid that your confusion will probably continue and the exact origin will probably not ever be discovered unless you get lucky enough to find a very similar example that has certain provenance. Just about ALL cultures use animal imagery and turtles and pigs (as well as dozens of other animals) are pretty pervasive across the entire world. Artisans are also a fanciful bunch and will use animals in their imagery that are not even local to their culture. Just look at the British Lion that became so common in their heraldry in the Middle Ages, but the lion had been extinct in England for about 13,000 years.
I'm afraid that all we can do about this for now is guess...

Frustrating but true mate!


Best
Gene

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Salaams,

I made an interesting discovery whilst looking through The Metropolitan Museum oif Arts book by Stuart Cary Welch INDIA Art and Culture 1300 to 1900 page 106 . Your dish thing is likely to be for food or drinks for the gods~ Quote . " Bronze animals have been excavated from bronze age sites in India etc etc . As with so many Indian artefacts the lines are blurred between the secular and the relgious." The book asks were these animal forms playthings for children, offerings for a shrine or manifestations or avatar for the gods Vishnu or Varaha, the Boar in whose form he slew the demon Hiranyaksha ? Or more than likely all three ! Thus ending your confusion with a great piece of ethnographic information on the dish or "offering bowl"...and with some material and spiritual culture.

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.