Ancient Sasanian Ribbed Terracotta Jug | Ancient Persia | Detailed Provenance | Circa 3rd–7th Century CE

Provenance & Ownership History
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Purchased in Tunisia in 1982 from M. Ayoub Antiquités, Tunis, Tunisia, and subsequently retained in the McMillan Collection, Minnesota, USA, for more than four decades.

The vessel is accompanied by its original McMillan Collection inventory card identifying the piece as a Roman natural clay pitcher from Tunisia and recording its acquisition in 1982. The inventory card includes an original period photograph of the vessel as it appeared within the collection in the 1980s.

Additional accompanying documentation includes the original M. Ayoub Antiquités business card from Tunis, original handwritten dealer notes relating to the object, the original McMillan Collection inventory records listing the vessel as Item No. 138, and collection archive materials documenting the vessel within the broader collection.

Expert Assessment: Examined by Luca Salvaggio, an Italian archaeologist specializing in ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern material, with a Postgraduate Diploma from the Italian Archaeological School at Athens (IASA) and accreditation from the Italian Ministry of Culture (MiC). He identified the vessel as a Sasanian ribbed terracotta jug dating to circa the 3rd–7th century CE, based on its wheel-made pale buff fabric, ovoid body, recessed neck, broad flaring rim, loop handle, and horizontal ribbing.

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Ancient Sasanian ribbed terracotta jug from Persia, circa 3rd–7th century CE, with pale buff clay and loop handle.
Rotating presentation of an ancient Sasanian ribbed terracotta jug, circa 3rd–7th century CE, featuring pale buff clay, an ovoid body, recessed neck, flaring rim, loop handle, horizontal ribbing, and archaeological surface wear.
Sasanian wheel-made terracotta jug with an ovoid body, recessed neck, and broad flaring rim.
Ancient Persian Sasanian terracotta jug with horizontal ribbing and archaeological surface deposits.
Sasanian period pottery jug featuring a loop handle extending from the rim to the shoulder.
Ancient Sasanian ribbed terracotta jug with a pale buff ceramic surface and age-related mineral deposits.
Sasanian terracotta vessel with horizontal ribbing, ovoid body, flaring rim, and archaeological weathering.
Ancient Persian ribbed pottery jug with weathered terracotta surfaces and surviving decorative bands.
Sasanian terracotta jug with a recessed neck, broad loop handle, rounded body, and horizontal ribbing.
Original McMillan Collection inventory card documenting the terracotta jug's 1982 acquisition and earlier Roman attribution.
Original handwritten dealer notes accompanying the ancient terracotta jug purchased from M. Ayoub Antiquités in Tunisia.
McMillan Collection index card documenting the terracotta jug and its historical identification as a Roman pitcher.
McMillan Collection inventory list recording the ancient terracotta jug as Item No. 138.
  • Ancient Sasanian ribbed terracotta jug from Persia, circa 3rd–7th century CE, with pale buff clay and loop handle.
  • Rotating presentation of an ancient Sasanian ribbed terracotta jug, circa 3rd–7th century CE, featuring pale buff clay, an ovoid body, recessed neck, flaring rim, loop handle, horizontal ribbing, and archaeological surface wear.
  • Sasanian wheel-made terracotta jug with an ovoid body, recessed neck, and broad flaring rim.
  • Ancient Persian Sasanian terracotta jug with horizontal ribbing and archaeological surface deposits.
  • Sasanian period pottery jug featuring a loop handle extending from the rim to the shoulder.
  • Ancient Sasanian ribbed terracotta jug with a pale buff ceramic surface and age-related mineral deposits.
  • Sasanian terracotta vessel with horizontal ribbing, ovoid body, flaring rim, and archaeological weathering.
  • Ancient Persian ribbed pottery jug with weathered terracotta surfaces and surviving decorative bands.
  • Sasanian terracotta jug with a recessed neck, broad loop handle, rounded body, and horizontal ribbing.
  • Original McMillan Collection inventory card documenting the terracotta jug's 1982 acquisition and earlier Roman attribution.
  • Original handwritten dealer notes accompanying the ancient terracotta jug purchased from M. Ayoub Antiquités in Tunisia.
  • McMillan Collection index card documenting the terracotta jug and its historical identification as a Roman pitcher.
  • McMillan Collection inventory list recording the ancient terracotta jug as Item No. 138.
Ancient Sasanian ribbed terracotta jug from Persia, circa 3rd–7th century CE, with pale buff clay and loop handle.
Rotating presentation of an ancient Sasanian ribbed terracotta jug, circa 3rd–7th century CE, featuring pale buff clay, an ovoid body, recessed neck, flaring rim, loop handle, horizontal ribbing, and archaeological surface wear.
Sasanian wheel-made terracotta jug with an ovoid body, recessed neck, and broad flaring rim.
Ancient Persian Sasanian terracotta jug with horizontal ribbing and archaeological surface deposits.
Sasanian period pottery jug featuring a loop handle extending from the rim to the shoulder.
Ancient Sasanian ribbed terracotta jug with a pale buff ceramic surface and age-related mineral deposits.
Sasanian terracotta vessel with horizontal ribbing, ovoid body, flaring rim, and archaeological weathering.
Ancient Persian ribbed pottery jug with weathered terracotta surfaces and surviving decorative bands.
Sasanian terracotta jug with a recessed neck, broad loop handle, rounded body, and horizontal ribbing.
Original McMillan Collection inventory card documenting the terracotta jug's 1982 acquisition and earlier Roman attribution.
Original handwritten dealer notes accompanying the ancient terracotta jug purchased from M. Ayoub Antiquités in Tunisia.
McMillan Collection index card documenting the terracotta jug and its historical identification as a Roman pitcher.
McMillan Collection inventory list recording the ancient terracotta jug as Item No. 138.
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Ancient Sasanian Ribbed Terracotta Jug | Ancient Persia | Detailed Provenance | Circa 3rd–7th Century CE

Description
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Historical Context & Origin

Region: Sasanian Empire, Ancient Persia
Material: Pale buff terracotta
Period: Sasanian Period, circa 3rd–7th Century CE

Description

This ancient Sasanian terracotta jug dates to approximately the 3rd–7th century CE and represents the ceramic traditions of the Sasanian world.

Wheel-made from pale buff terracotta, the vessel has an ovoid body, recessed neck, broad flaring rim, and loop handle extending from the rim to the shoulder. Distinctive horizontal ribbing encircles the body, providing both visual rhythm and a characteristic decorative treatment.

The jug retains a substantial portion of its original form and displays mineral deposits, surface weathering, and age-related losses consistent with archaeological preservation.

Features

- Wheel-made construction

- Pale buff terracotta fabric

- Ovoid body

- Recessed neck

- Broad flaring rim

- Loop handle from rim to shoulder

- Horizontal ribbing around the body

- Archaeological mineral deposits and surface wear

Cultural Significance

The Sasanian Empire, which ruled much of ancient Persia and neighbouring regions from the 3rd to 7th centuries CE, developed a rich tradition of ceramic production alongside its better-known metalwork and architectural arts.

Utilitarian pottery vessels such as this jug formed part of daily domestic life and reflect the practical ceramic traditions of the period. Its ribbed body, recessed neck, flaring rim, and handled form are consistent with Sasanian ceramic production.

A comparable Sasanian jug from Ctesiphon is held by The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, inventory no. 32.150.87.

Condition

Good ancient condition overall. A stable crack is present along the rim, with mineral deposits, scattered surface losses, abrasions, and age-related weathering throughout. The vessel remains substantially intact and retains its overall profile and ribbed decoration.

Dimensions (Approximate)

Height: 7 in
Width: 4 in
Diameter: 4 in

Age (Approximate)

1,400–1,800 years old

Provenance

Purchased in Tunisia in 1982 from M. Ayoub Antiquités, Tunis, Tunisia, and subsequently retained in the McMillan Collection, Minnesota, USA, for more than four decades.

The vessel is accompanied by its original McMillan Collection inventory card identifying the piece as a Roman natural clay pitcher from Tunisia and recording its acquisition in 1982. The inventory card includes an original period photograph of the vessel as it appeared within the collection in the 1980s.

Additional accompanying documentation includes the original M. Ayoub Antiquités business card from Tunis, original handwritten dealer notes relating to the object, the original McMillan Collection inventory records listing the vessel as Item No. 138, and collection archive materials documenting the vessel within the broader collection.

Expert Assessment: Examined by Luca Salvaggio, an Italian archaeologist specializing in ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern material, with a Postgraduate Diploma from the Italian Archaeological School at Athens (IASA) and accreditation from the Italian Ministry of Culture (MiC). He identified the vessel as a Sasanian ribbed terracotta jug dating to circa the 3rd–7th century CE, based on its wheel-made pale buff fabric, ovoid body, recessed neck, broad flaring rim, loop handle, and horizontal ribbing.

Learn More

Discover a related Sasanian ceramic jug from Ctesiphon, dating to the 3rd–7th century CE, in the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Browse our collection of Ceramics & Pottery: Ancient Heritage Art.

Description

Historical Context & Origin

Region: Sasanian Empire, Ancient Persia
Material: Pale buff terracotta
Period: Sasanian Period, circa 3rd–7th Century CE

Description

This ancient Sasanian terracotta jug dates to approximately the 3rd–7th century CE and represents the ceramic traditions of the Sasanian world.

Wheel-made from pale buff terracotta, the vessel has an ovoid body, recessed neck, broad flaring rim, and loop handle extending from the rim to the shoulder. Distinctive horizontal ribbing encircles the body, providing both visual rhythm and a characteristic decorative treatment.

The jug retains a substantial portion of its original form and displays mineral deposits, surface weathering, and age-related losses consistent with archaeological preservation.

Features

- Wheel-made construction

- Pale buff terracotta fabric

- Ovoid body

- Recessed neck

- Broad flaring rim

- Loop handle from rim to shoulder

- Horizontal ribbing around the body

- Archaeological mineral deposits and surface wear

Cultural Significance

The Sasanian Empire, which ruled much of ancient Persia and neighbouring regions from the 3rd to 7th centuries CE, developed a rich tradition of ceramic production alongside its better-known metalwork and architectural arts.

Utilitarian pottery vessels such as this jug formed part of daily domestic life and reflect the practical ceramic traditions of the period. Its ribbed body, recessed neck, flaring rim, and handled form are consistent with Sasanian ceramic production.

A comparable Sasanian jug from Ctesiphon is held by The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, inventory no. 32.150.87.

Condition

Good ancient condition overall. A stable crack is present along the rim, with mineral deposits, scattered surface losses, abrasions, and age-related weathering throughout. The vessel remains substantially intact and retains its overall profile and ribbed decoration.

Dimensions (Approximate)

Height: 7 in
Width: 4 in
Diameter: 4 in

Age (Approximate)

1,400–1,800 years old

Provenance

Purchased in Tunisia in 1982 from M. Ayoub Antiquités, Tunis, Tunisia, and subsequently retained in the McMillan Collection, Minnesota, USA, for more than four decades.

The vessel is accompanied by its original McMillan Collection inventory card identifying the piece as a Roman natural clay pitcher from Tunisia and recording its acquisition in 1982. The inventory card includes an original period photograph of the vessel as it appeared within the collection in the 1980s.

Additional accompanying documentation includes the original M. Ayoub Antiquités business card from Tunis, original handwritten dealer notes relating to the object, the original McMillan Collection inventory records listing the vessel as Item No. 138, and collection archive materials documenting the vessel within the broader collection.

Expert Assessment: Examined by Luca Salvaggio, an Italian archaeologist specializing in ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern material, with a Postgraduate Diploma from the Italian Archaeological School at Athens (IASA) and accreditation from the Italian Ministry of Culture (MiC). He identified the vessel as a Sasanian ribbed terracotta jug dating to circa the 3rd–7th century CE, based on its wheel-made pale buff fabric, ovoid body, recessed neck, broad flaring rim, loop handle, and horizontal ribbing.

Learn More

Discover a related Sasanian ceramic jug from Ctesiphon, dating to the 3rd–7th century CE, in the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Browse our collection of Ceramics & Pottery: Ancient Heritage Art.

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