Figure Item Number: 3586/2 from the MOA: University of British Columbia

Description

Small ceramic bird, standing upright, with its head and tail protruding outward from body; tall foot extends from bottom of figure, with a concave base. Bird has three-dimensional eyes on either side of its head; circular opening in centre of tail, along top. Eyes and top of head are painted black; wings, with feather details, also painted along sides. Artist mark imprinted underneath tail.

History Of Use

Figure is meant to be a replica of an artifact from the archaeological site of the Indus Valley Civilization (2600-1900 BCE), located west of Sahiwal in central Punjab.

Narrative

Purchased by the donor from the artist at the "Daachi" craft fair in Lahore in 2018. The artist's father, Muhammad Nawaz, worked with American archaeologist Jonathan Mark Kenoyer on the Harappa Archaeological Research Project, to help him understand how ancient pottery might have been made. Nawaz began the project to replicate ancient vessels, in collaboration with Kenoyer, and Allah Ditta continued the work after his father's death.