Urartian bronze cauldron with bull-head sculptures

The photograph shows a bronze cauldron from the state of Urartu, which is also known in historical scholarship as the Kingdom of Van. The cauldron is dated to the 9th–8th centuries BC.

The large, rounded vessel rests on a metal stand. Bull-head sculptures are attached to its rim, 3 of which are visible in the photograph. They symbolised strength and worship. Such cauldrons were used in ritual ceremonies and bear witness to the high level of Urartian metalworking.