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Home ▸ Catalog ▸ |Judean & Biblical Coins| ▸ |Holyland Antiquities||View Options:   | | | The Holy Land, also called the Syro-Palestinian region includes ancient Judaea and Palestine, and parts of ancient Phoenicia, Syria, and Arabia. To learn more, visit our NumisWiki Holy Land Antiquities page. |
In the typology of ancient Greek pottery, the kernos (plural kernoi) is a cult offering vessel, with a pottery ring or stone tray to which are attached several small vessels for holding offerings. The Greek term is also applied to similar compound vessels from other cultures in the Mediterranean, the Levant, Mesopotamia, and South Asia. Amiran photo 350, is a kernos from Megiddo, dated Iron I, 1200 B.C. – 1000 B.C. It has a similar ring base. but with eight ornate vessels of various shapes attached. Amiran assumed it was used in the First Fruits offering and notes the form originated in the Mycenaean-Minoan world. Pande fig. 12 is simpler kernos with three small bowls on a ring (without the pedestals) from Mycenae, Middle Minoan III levels, 1700 - 1600 B.C. We do not know of another example with pedestalled bowls.AL23895. Canaanite kernos, cf. Pande fig. 12, see Amiran photo 350, Choice, reconstructed, c. 1700 - 900 B.C.; 12.5cm tall, buff clay kernos, four shallow bows, each on an individual column pedestal, joined at the sides, holes in the walls connecting them, the pedestals on a ring base, ex Griffin Gallery of Ancient Art (Boca Raton FL); very rare; $2000.00 (€1880.00)
Herodian Judaea - Roman Syria Palestina, Footed Redware Pottery Bowl, 1st - 4th Century A.D.
AA99538. Footed redware pottery bowl, 21cm (8 1/4") diameter, 5cm (2" tall), Choice, complete and intact, a few scratches, chip on foot, reverse unglazed, wheel marks left as ornamentation, wide shallow bowl with small embellishment in center, rounded and folded lip, squat open foot; found in Israel, ex Archaeological Center (Robert Deutsch, Tel Aviv, Israel, 16 Apr 2015), with photocopy of Israel Antiquities Authority export approval certificate; $850.00 (€799.00)
Roman, Galilee, Judaea - Syria Palestina, Small Kefar Hananya Bowl, 1st - Early 5th Century A.D.
AA99537. Kefar Hananya ware small bowl, 12.6cm (5") diameter, 4.3cm (1 3/4") tall, Choice, completed and intact, 1st - early 5th century A.D.; wheel made, fine red clay (Munsell reddish brown color 2.5YR 5/8) with chalk inclusions, simple design but well-made with thin uniform walls, flared flattened slightly downturned rim embellished with a groove on top and bottom, ring base; ex Archaeological Center (Robert Deutsch, Tel Aviv, Israel, 16 Apr 2015), with photocopy of Israel Antiquities Authority export approval certificate; $600.00 (€564.00)
Phoenician, Bronze Trapezoid Cube Weight (Ayin - 21.595g), c. 7th - 4th Century B.C.
This weight is the usual shape for the type, an inverted truncated pyramid - a cube with the bottom slightly smaller than the top. The type dates from perhaps as early as the the 9th century B.C. to the end of the Persian period. They were undoubtedly used to weigh silver bullion for transactions. Kletter lists nine weights with circle marks, ranging from 2.55g to 80.67g. Some, like ours, were incised with straight lines or punches. Most were found at Akko.AS111486. Phoenician, bronze trapezoid cube weight; cf. Hendin Weights 245 (21.63), Kletter 2000 25 (21.17g), Hecht A 47 (20.03g), Choice, 21.595g (3 shekels?), 14.3x16.6x12.9mm, c. 7th - 4th Century B.C.; inverted truncated pyramid (a cube with the bottom slightly smaller than the top), incised circle (Phoenician ayin) on top created with a 8 short straight line cuts, ex Shick Coins (Max Shick, Israel, 2012); $570.00 (€535.80)
Islamic, Sphero-Conical "Mercury" Vessel, 9th - 15th Century
Sphero-conical vessels have been found from the Levante to Central Asia, dating from the 9th to 15th century A.D. More than 30 are in the Palestine Archaeological Museum and many others in collections in Jerusalem. Shape, style and decor vary greatly. They have been identified as vessels, fire grenades, aeolipiles, plumb bobs, and decorative finials.
R. Ettinghausen in "The Use of Sphero-Conical Vessels in the Muslim East" (1965) discusses specimens that have been found with traces of Mercury inside. In the Muslim world, mercury was used in medicinal drugs for headaches, paralysis, palsy, deafness, insanity, and loss of vision, as a tonic, and in salves employed against scabs, itch and mange. It was used in veterinary medicines and as poison against lice, mice, snakes and scorpions. In industry, it was used for backing of mirrors and embellishments. Ettinghausen notes, however, that despite conclusive evidence for use as mercury containers, this was not their exclusive function.
A. Ghouchani and C. Adle in "A Sphero-Conical Vessel as Fuqqa'a, or a Gourd for 'Beer'" (1992) provide convincing evidence that some of these vessels, especially some inscribed with Kufic, were used for storing and drinking beer. Examples of inscriptions include:
"As long as it is full, they will kiss it, When empty they will drop it."
"Do not give your heart to woman, because they will make a gourd of beer out of a man."
"Drink to your good health."
Literature and inscriptions indicate the "gourds" were placed in ice to cool the beer and the beer was under pressure and would gush out after the gourd was opened.
In one case, these "gourds" were actually used as grenades. The Arab historian Al-Damiri (1341 - 1404), wrote, "There are deadly scorpions around Nasibayn. It is said that they originated from Shahr-i Zur. A king encircled Nasibayn. He took the scorpions and put them into beer gourds and catapulted them into the city!"AA99527. See Ettinghausen (1965) and Ghouchani-Adle (1992) for discussions of the type, near Choice, repaired crack, chips, tip of "cone" missing; 13.5cm tall, 12cm diameter, probably pre-Mongol, 9th - mid 13th century; unusual pine-cone decor (we did not find another in references or online), ex Mera Antiq (Yossi Eilon, Tel Aviv, 25 Jun 2013), found in Israel; $400.00 (€376.00)
Judaean Kingdom, Hasmonean Dynasty (Maccabees), Archaic Style Folded Buff Oil Lamp, c. 167 - 37 B.C.
This Hasmonean era lamp imitates the style of much earlier Bronze and Iron Age pinched rim oil lamps. During the Hasmonean era, these archaic imitative lamps, more finely made and smaller than most of the originals, were popular in Jerusalem and the surrounding area. They reconnected the Jewish people to the golden age of the Davidic dynasty five centuries before. See our Pinched| Rim| Oil| Lamps| page in NumisWiki.AL78082. Hasmonean Judaea Archaic Style Folded Buff Oil Lamp; Tushingham fig. 24, 9, Choice condition, tiny chip in nozzle, 7.2cm (2 7/8") long, 4.7cm (1 7/8") wide, 3.3cm (1 1/4") high; buff clay, wheel made then folded, soot on nozzle, ex Barakat Antiquities (Old City Jerusalem), found in Israel; $360.00 (€338.40)
Judaean Kingdom, Hasmonean Dynasty (Maccabees), Archaic Style Folded Buff Oil Lamp, c. 167 - 37 B.C.
This Hasmonean era lamp imitates the style of much earlier Bronze and Iron Age pinched rim oil lamps. During the Hasmonean era, these archaic imitative lamps, more finely made and smaller than most of the originals, were popular in Jerusalem and the surrounding area. They reconnected the Jewish people to the golden age of the Davidic dynasty five centuries before. See our Pinched| Rim| Oil| Lamps| page in NumisWiki.AL78083. Hasmonean Judaea Archaic Style Folded Buff Oil Lamp; Tushingham fig. 22, 7, Superb condition, 8.3cm (3 1/4") long, 4.5cm (1 3/4") wide, 3.5cm (1 3/8") high; buff clay, wheel made then folded, soot on nozzle, ex Archaeological Center (Robert Deutsch, Tel Aviv, Israel), auction 53 (4 Oct 2012), lot 125; found in Israel; $360.00 (€338.40)
Late Roman - Byzantine, Holyland (Syria Palaestina), Miniature "Candlestick" Oil Lamp, c. 350 - 500 A.D.
The pattern on the nozzle, branches issuing from a central ridge, is often called a "candlestick," meaning it is a representation of the menorah. Some authorities believe it is a palm branch and it is sometimes indecisively called a a palm-menorah. The strongest evidence that the palm-menorah actually is a menorah is a variation of this lamp with a cross on the nozzle. This suggests that Jews and Christians used the same type of lamp, differentiated only by their respective religious symbol, a phenomenon also encountered on North African Red-Slip Lamps. The type is found across Israel but most commonly in Jerusalem and within 50 kilometers of Jerusalem. See our |Candlestick |Lamps page in NumisWiki. This is the smallest example of this type known to FORVM. AL78095. Miniature "Candlestick" Oil Lamp; Adler type BYZ.1; Alder 905 (7.4cm); Qedem 8 477 (8cm); Sussman Late 1553 (7.7cm), Choice, complete and intact, mild wear, 6.6cm (2 5/8") long, 4.5cm (1 3/4") wide, 2.2cm (7/8") high, c. 350 - 500 A.D.; grey-buff light clay, chalk inclusions, tear drop shape from above, no handle, double rim around filling hole, decorative radiating pattern around shoulder continues on the nozzle with six branches from a central ridge (palm-menorah), ring base; $240.00 (€225.60)
Byzantine, Palaestina Secunda, Imitative Beit Natif Lamp, 5th - 6th Century A.D.
Sussman and Adler identify the type as a northern imitation of Beit Natif lamps. Sussman calls this handle type, which was not used at Beit Natif, "wing-shaped."AL78101. Imitative Beit Natif Lamp; Adler type BN.6, cf. 952; Sussman Late p. 50, fig. 33, near Choice, handle broken otherwise complete and intact, attractive, 8.8cm (3 1/2") long, 5.5cm (2 1/8") wide, 2.9cm (1 1/8") high, 5th - 6th century A.D.; reverse Bet Shean, Byzantine Palaestina Secunda, Imitative Beit Natif Lamp, 5th - 6th Century A.D.; mold made, buff-gray clay, red-orange slip, elongated shape, large bow rim nozzle decorated with an ornate basket or amphora and small dotted annulets around, high rim around large filling hole, herringbone wreath around shoulders, large rectangular handle rising diagonally ornamented with a palmette, low ring base; $225.00 (€211.50)
Mediterranean Region, Lead Shell Weight, 1/8 Libra (47.803g), c. 4th Century B.C. - 2nd Century A.D.
Hendin lists several such shell-shaped weights. They are found throughout the Mediterranean Region.AS112213. Lead weight, cf. Hendin Weights 276, Manns-Kloetzli p. 22, 37; Alvarez-Burgos P29, aVF, bumps, weight 24.009 g, maximum diameter 25.1 mm, 4th century B.C. - 2nd century A.D.; 1/8 Libra lead weight molded from bipod shell; $130.00 (€122.20)
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