Head and Neck of Bull
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Object Label
Ancient Iranian Ceramics
These ceramics demonstrate ancient Iranian artists’ interest in creating containers and other ritual instruments in the shape of mammals or birds. This tradition was of incredible duration, stretching back to about 3000 B.C.E. of the Neolithic period and lasting as late as the sixth century C.E. These shapes relate Iranian art to the customs of neighboring regions of Mesopotamia, Greece, and Central Asia where animal art also played an integral role.
Caption
Head and Neck of Bull, ca. 1000–600 B.C.E.. Clay, height: 12 13/16 in. (32.5 cm) base width: 10 1/4 in. (26 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of the Arthur M. Sackler Foundation, NYC, in memory of James F. Romano, 2015.65.29. (Photo: Brooklyn Museum)
Gallery
Not on view
Gallery
Not on view
Frequent Art Questions
What would this have been used for?
This bull's head is a section of a ceramic sculpture. Similar bull, lion, and griffin sculptures in ceramic are known to have been used as guardians of gateways by the Elamite people.Can you tell me about this?
This head would have been part of a full-body, terracotta sculpture of a bull! Similar statues were used as temple and gate door guardians at Susa which was the capital of Elam, and ancient civilization that existed in modern day Iran.Tell me more.
This bull's head is a secton of a ceramic sculpture that would have been used as guardians of gateways by the Elamite people.I love the textural ribbing around the neck of the sculpture. They meet in the front to creatte a undulating skin flap that represents the bull's dewlap, an actual anatomical feature.
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