Artifact - Antiquity - Indigenous Terracotta Tripod Brazier Or Incense Burner - Primitive Art

Period: 3rd - 1st century BC Origin: Mediterranean protohistory - Hypothesis of production in Narbonensis Gaul, Iberian Peninsula or North Africa Provenance: Private collection, South of France This brazier or tripod censer in perforated terracotta is a witness to Mediterranean protohistoric craft traditions. Its formal simplicity and functional use link it to indigenous primitive art, produced by peoples settled in southern Gaul, the Iberian Peninsula or North Africa. These objects, widely distributed before and during the Roman expansion, were used to burn incense, resins or embers for domestic or ritual uses. Hypothesis of attribution and characteristics: 1. A varied Mediterranean origin • This type of ceramic is attested in several protohistoric cultures, notably among the Iberian peoples, the southern Gauls and certain communities of North Africa. • Its raw aesthetic and perforations recall technical influences shared between these different regions. 2. A particular method of firing and finishing • Unlike red terracotta obtained in an oxidizing atmosphere, this object has a gray to beige tint, typical of firing in a reducing atmosphere (low in oxygen). • A light layer of engobe is visible on the surface, a treatment sometimes applied to primitive ceramics to improve resistance and watertightness, although the object remains deliberately sober. 3. A transitional object between protohistory and Mediterranean Antiquity • Later than the Mycenaean braziers of the Bronze Age, this censer belongs to a period when indigenous peoples developed their own productions, while gradually integrating Roman influences. • The sobriety of this object and its lack of ornamentation make it a characteristic example of local utilitarian productions. Description: • Material: Gray-beige terracotta, lightly engobed, with a patinated and grainy surface. • Shape: Semi-spherical container on three squat feet, perforated on the upper part for better air circulation. • Decoration: Absence of decorative motifs, highlighting its practical function and its belonging to protohistoric primitive art. Use: This type of brazier or censer was used: • For the combustion of incense or aromatic resins, particularly in a ritual or domestic context. • As additional heating in indigenous Mediterranean dwellings. • In certain funerary contexts, where such objects accompanied the deceased as offerings. Condition: Good general condition despite some chips and signs of wear consistent with its age. The natural patina testifies to its use and age. Dimensions: • Height: 10.5 cm Iconographic links and references: Comparable objects are listed in different archaeological collections and publications: • Antique tripod brazier vase - RMN Grand Palais: Link • Object preserved at the Louvre - Oriental Antiquities Collection: Link • Incense burner exhibited in the Neolithic and Bronze Age section of the museum: Estimated dating around 1200 BC, in the period of the Iliad. ALL DELIVERIES ARE MADE BY DHL EXPRESS ONLY.