Storage jar

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Curators Comments

Wide-mouthed, large jars such as this one were used for storing grains, water, oil, and wine. How much (volume) could this jar hold oil/ grain? 300 litres of liquid or 240 kgs of grain. The minimal decoration on this pot is typical of Harappan pottery of this time. Many would have been stored in granaries to supply in times of drought, and the protrusion at the bottom fixed it to the ground. Storage jars and amphorae were often repurposed to collect human waste as part of sewage management. Many have survived because they were buried for use in the afterlife.
Across cultures, people crafted a wide range of clay vessels to store crops, and protect it from weather and pests. Other pots were also made for cooking. In every culture, decoration and pattern turned these utilitarian vessels into objects of beauty. Many of the shapes remain strikingly unchanged to this day.
Such clay vessels (displayed in this exhibition) found in regions spanning from Japan to Iraq, extending to northern Africa—represent approximately 5,000 years of pottery. They showcase human ingenuity in decorating simple utilitarian objects, as well as the enduring need to create art and impart symbolic meaning to everyday objects.