929 - Tiered urn with metopes, Villanova culture, 9th century B.C.

Tiered urn with metopes, Villanova culture, 9th century B.C. A large urn divided into two “tiers,” a ceramic form in the tradition of the Urnfield period. A flat base 10 cm wide, above which is a slightly recessed foot. From there, the wall flares out into a belly that tapers toward the shoulder after a gentle curve (first tier). Above this is a distinctly stepped, tall, conical neck with a slightly curved wall that tapers again toward the rim (second tier). The vessel concludes with a funnel-shaped rim featuring outward-curving lips. On one side, at the break in the body, there is a transverse, slightly upward-sloping, round-barred handle. The foot and lower body are undecorated. Around the curve of the body are five rectangular metopes of identical design: each is framed on the outside by bands consisting of several parallel lines, the number of which varies from four to seven. Above these frames, at regular intervals, are stamps with six dots oriented diagonally to the direction of the lines. Inside, another frame consisting of four to five lines, within which are swastikas formed by parallel lines. At the bottom of the neck, a horizontal band of five lines; in the upper half, below the rim of the funnel, two such bands of five lines. Below this, along the lower rim, triangles formed of large dots hang; between them is a repeating pattern of double-angled, interlocking but unconnected band segments consisting of three lines, which are overstamped with diagonal, almond-shaped punches. The urn is assembled from several shards with no missing pieces. Slight encrustations. Height 36.5 cm. Width 28 cm. CULTURAL HERITAGE! Provenance: Private collection in Upper Austria (estate), acquired by the father in the 1980s on the Austrian and southern German art market. Condition: II -