Cypriot Bowl with Cattle and a Vulture in the Getty Villa, July 2008

Bowl with Cattle and a Vulture
Unknown
Cypriot, 2300 - 1900 B.C.
Terracotta
13 5/8 x 11 13/16 in.
2001.81

Symbols of both life and death decorate the rim of this footed bowl, whose fragile nature suggests that it was intended for use in funerary rituals or as a burial gift for the grave of the deceased. The figure of the standing bull represents fertility and strength, while the vulture is associated with death and the afterlife. Atop two vertical poles are the heads of bulls, which probably served as a protective device to ward off evil. Two bowls--positioned like handles--mimic the vessel's shape while completing its decoration.

Text from: www.getty.edu/art/gettyguide/artObjectDetails?artobj=144485