Anonymous sale; Sotheby's, London, 10 July 1990, lot 483 (part lot)
With no repair or restoration. The exterior surface worn and weathered, with patches of worn pitting to the breccia structure. The interior with surface wear and weathering.
"Bird's Nest Bowls" are commonly found in Crete, but their distinctive shape derives from Egyptian examples of a similar period. The two cultures shared much due to their Bronze Age trade routes. Likely a symbol of wealth and sophistication, these vessels can be found in Cretan graves and were likely used to hold offerings of scented oils.
For similar examples, 'Breccia bird's-nest bowl', The Metropolitan Museum of Fine Art, New York, inv. no.26.31.431., and P. Warren, Minoan Stone Vases, London, 1969, p.225.
