Circa 2050-1786 BC A beautifully modelled cylindrical vessel of alabastron form, the cylindrical body tapering to the pointed base, the plain rim painted with a band of black slip. The vessel was probably used to hold precious liquids, possibly wine or oils. Such elegant objects were often placed in tombs as part of the funerary equipment. Belonging to a type of pottery that was produced as early as the pre-dynastic period, (c.4000-3000 BC). Delicately crafted from a local clay, the surfaces were burnished with stones and either left in their natural state or covered with a thin layer of pigment. The two-toned effect was produced by up-ending the pot in a layer of slow-burning coals. The lack of oxygen had the effect of carbonising the surface and blackening the clay. By the time of the Middle Kingdom period, to which this breath-taking object belongs, the same effect was created by painting the upper section with band of black slip. For a similar example see , October 26, 2007, lot 5. Size: L:140mm / W:65mm; 198g Provenance: From the collection of a London gentleman; formerly acquired in early 2000s; previously in 1970s UK collection.