The Barrel-shaped jug is a type of pottery known in the Mediterranean in the

Ancient Cypriot art Ancient Cypriot art refers to all works of Visual arts, visual art originating from Cyprus in the Eastern Mediterranean from c. 10,000 BC to c. 330 AD. During this period, various types of objects were produced such as domestic tools, weaponry, jewe ...

of the island of

Cyprus Cyprus (), officially the Republic of Cyprus, is an island country in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Situated in West Asia, its cultural identity and geopolitical orientation are overwhelmingly Southeast European. Cyprus is the List of isl ...

, from the 10th century BCE to the 3rd century CE. This type of jugs, with and without strainers, were quite common in Archaic Cypriot pottery.Because of their rounded shape, they do not stand on their own, suggesting a quite specific function. They are found in the tombs of Eastern Cyprus, and may only have had a funerary role. These jars are very similar to Chinese

Cocoon jars Cocoon may refer to: *Cocoon (silk), a pupal casing made by moth caterpillars and other insect larvae Music *Cocoon Recordings, a German record label *Cocoon (band), a French band *Cocoon (club), a techno club in Frankfurt am Main, Germany *Cocoon ...

, and West-East transmission has been suggested. File:Terracotta barrel jug with strainer, Cypro-Geometric III. Cyprus, 850-750 BCE.jpg, Terracotta barrel jug with strainer, Cypro-Geometric III. Cyprus, 850-750 BCE. File:Terracotta barrel jug with strainer, Cyprus, 750-600 BCE.jpg, Terracotta barrel jug with strainer, Cyprus, 750-600 BCE. File:Barrel-shaped jug, Cyprus, Cypro-Archaic I, 700-600 BC, ceramic - Fitchburg Art Museum - DSC08634.JPG, Ceramic barrel-shaped jug from the Cypro-Archaic I period (c.700-c.600 BCE)

References

{{Pottery Ceramic materials Ancient Cyprus Pottery