Bronze Bowl with Handle from Egypt: 5th century AD
The copper-alloy trulla (a hemispherical bowl with a long handle) has a decorative device on the handle in the form of the head of a lioness. It was found in Egypt, along with numerous bronze vessels of the same type, and it is believed that they were manufactured there. Formalised animal decoration like this is very common in Egypt on objects of the 4th to 8th centuries AD.
This bowl would have been used to hold liquids, probably water for hand-washing at table, before, during and after meals. Similar but deeper vessels were used for pouring water over oneself when taking a bath. Roman-style public baths still operated in the East Mediterranean in Byzantine times.
