Egyptian

Rendered in dark red or brown pigment, the scenes that appear on decorated ware are among the earliest examples of figurative painting in ancient Egypt. This example depicts the common motifs of a multi-oared boat and a horned desert animal.

Decorated ware was often formed from marl clay, which typically fires to a light red or buff color. The consistency of style found across decorated ware indicates that these objects were likely produced in a limited number of workshops but traded widely.