Description

From a private irish collection  This is a guaranteed original approximately 400 year old Lota.

This Lota is from the 16th century .. The Mughal period..(It has been expertized by a Major London auction house) with a deep patina all over. The body made from a heavy bronze with the spout which was probably added later made from brass..This was probably a day to day Hindu Lota for use when worshipping in the hindu puja (Home temple to hold Ganges water).They were also used by worshippers of Islam for purification purposes and called a Bodna. The word to describe these vessels, lota, is the same word as lotus, the water lily, and comes from the same root as the Latin lotus, washed. Excavations of archaeological sites in India confirm that this type of vessel, popular during the Mughal period, was in use centuries before the Muslim invasion. Many lota’s are ridged or fluted like melons and it is assumed that it was exactly those fruit, hollowed out, which formed the earliest water vessels.

This lovely fine indian antique Lota is 6 inches x 4.25 (15cm x 10.5cm)



see 1 Zebrowski, M.: Gold, Silver & Bronze from Mughal India, London 1997