Jar with Seated Frogs
Ceramic, paint
Meroitic Phase IV (AD 240-300)
Ballana, Cemetery B, tomb 208
OIM 22658

Nubian artists had a wide variety of raw materials to work with, including clay, stone, leather, metals, and natural fibers for spinning and weaving. Beautiful examples of ancient pottery, leather working and metalsmithing have been recovered from Nubian tombs.

The pot shown to the left is from the Meriotic period (250 BC - AD 350). Pottery from this era is particularly enchanting because of the lively images of animals, including snakes, frogs, and rabbits that decorate it. Frogs were a popular motif and theme on pottery because they were a symbol of regeneration. The shape of this pot is typically and distinctively Nubian with its large round shape, the lack of a base, and its short narrow neck. These pots are also typically a burnished orange color that was a result of the pot being fired and then polished with a small stone.