Zoomorphic Early Muslim Vessel (7th – 9th Cent. CE)

Not every figurine represents worship. This head comes not from an idol, but from an animal-shaped (zoomorphic) vessel. The head served as the neck and spout of this unique jug, with the mouth acting as the spout, and the handle attached to its neck. Dated to the Umayyad or early Abbasid Period (7th–9th century CE), the function of these vessels is unclear, but it was likely frowned upon by stricter iconoclasts, who would’ve viewed it as a forbidden graven image.