700–500 BC
Bronze with iron grating plate
Overall: 4.1 cm (1 5/8 in.); Base: 7.6 x 4.3 cm (3 x 1 11/16 in.)
Andrew R. and Martha Holden Jennings Fund 1974.37
The exact use of this enigmatic object remains unknown.
An emaciated bull lying on the ground, his legs tucked under in a resting position, may constitute a handle for this unusual object—likely a grater or scraper, judging from the perforated metal plate on its underside. The anatomically curious ridges across the neck and torso of the animal, as well as the large horned head turned perpendicular to the body, may have helped the owner grip the object while in use.
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