Amlash, a small village in the Gīlān province on the southern shore of the Caspian sea, has given its name to an assortment of archaeological artefacts recovered from the valleys of the nearby Alborz range. These artefacts range in date from the late second millennium BC through the Partho-Sasanian period, with most dated to the 9th and 8th centuries BC. A main characteristic of Amlash pottery is its intricate sculptural and technical manufacture, deeply influenced by Mesopotamian and Syrian civilisations. Amlash terracotta vessels, such as this fine example, might have been inspired by paralleled metal wares of the same period. They were likely used in funeral libation contexts, ritual occasions, and in everyday life.
To discover more about Mesopotamian cultures, please visit our relevant post: Civilisations of the Ancient Near East.
