Moroccan Berber Hand-Painted Terracotta Bottle-Neck Water Jar

Description

Overview

A hand-painted red earthenware water jar, likely Moroccan Berber folk pottery in the tradition of rural women's pottery of the Rif. It likely dates to the late 20th century. From the Craft World Tours Collection; consistent with the 2001 Morocco tour, which visited the potteries near Salé, Chefchaouen in the Rif Mountains, and a pottery workshop in the souks of Fes.

Design & Craftsmanship

• Function & Form: 12" high and 11" in diameter, with a 2" mouth. A squat, wide-shouldered globular body tapering to a narrow flat base, with a short neck, a molded collar ring and a slightly flared lip. Thick-walled, with no handles.
• Artistry & Ornamentation: A cream-slipped shoulder painted in dark brown-black with crosshatched net swags radiating from the neck, spiky frond motifs each paired with a small bird, and orange-red splash accents. Below are a wavy zigzag band and a broad dark band, with a single long serpentine line around the bare red lower body. Loose, lively hand brushwork throughout.
• Structural Base: Narrow flat base with scrape and turning marks; unmarked.

Condition Report

• Surface Condition: Paint rubbed at the high points of the shoulder, a few small chips at the lip, and scratches, scuffs and pale mineral spots on the lower body and base.
• Structural Integrity: No cracks observed; the jar is sound. This item is sold “as-is” with all associated patina and wear inherent to its age and history as part of the Craft World Tours Collection.