Description
| ITEM | Zebu bull |
| MATERIAL | Pottery |
| CULTURE | Bronze Age, Indus Valley |
| PERIOD | 3000 – 2000 B.C |
| DIMENSIONS | 110 mm x 145 mm |
| CONDITION | Good condition |
| PROVENANCE | Ex Japanese private collection (deceased), acquired before 1970 |
The Indus Valley Civilisation was an important Bronze Age culture which arose in c. 3300 BC and lasted until c. 1300, though its heyday, to which this ceramic vessel belongs, was in the 3rd millennium BC. The bull, with its hump and powerful horns, is a recurring motif in the Indus Valley, appearing on painted pottery like this example but also on figurines and stamps. The animal may represent the leader of a herd, who is able to protect his followers, or it could be a reflection of the bull’s importance in religious sacrifice.
