Large pottery jar with two handles painted in red and black on beige.

The paintings show animal scenes, one of which includes a human figure. They are divided in two registers. In the lower register, two large snakes lie opposite each other. In the upper one, framed by horizontal lines and a zigzag motif on the jar’s shoulder and neck, two coiled up snakes and two stretched-out snakes as well as two further scenes are visible. The first scene has a lion pacing behind a bull. Behind the bull, a human figure sits on a stool holding up something, maybe a child or a lyre. In the second scene, another lion walks behind a flock of smaller animals, in addition to a cat-like creature and a scorpion, these interesting scenes probably depict a story, maybe a legend or a myth of the time.

Site: Tal Zar`a in northwestern Jordan

Period: Late Bronze Age 1440-1300 BC