In the age of the patriarch Abraham, this vessel might have contained fine oil or wine. Though simple in shape, its incised designs demonstrate the love of ornament that is as old as civilization itself. The hand of the potter is all over this piece, a personal touch that connects directly with us across time. As we grip this jug by the handle, we can imagine the people who held it just this way when it was new. From such a jug as this, Abraham might have anointed Isaac with oil in preparation for sacrifice. Who can say? The joy of such objects is that they open the corridors of time and set the imagination traveling on an endless journey of discovery.