Rython in shape of animal c. 1500

Editor: This is a ceramic "Rython in shape of animal" from around 1500, author unknown, currently at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. I'm really drawn to how simply the animal is rendered, almost like a child's toy. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see a potent commentary on power dynamics. Consider how animals, especially those linked to agriculture like pigs, often symbolize resources or sustenance. But here, that symbolism intersects with ritualistic use—a rhyton was used for pouring liquids in ceremonies. Editor: So, you're saying it's more than just a cute pig? Curator: Precisely! By transforming a creature tied to the material world into an object of ritual, the artist might be commenting on how cultures negotiate between the sacred and the profane, how resources are managed and sanctified to control the access of resources for the larger populace. Who controlled this ritual? Who benefitted from the abundance represented? It makes me question power structures of the culture that created it. Editor: That's a fascinating point! I never considered how class might intersect with these symbols of plenty and ritual. What are the gender aspects? Curator: Rituals are frequently gendered. Was this ritual one reserved only for men? Or one where women controlled aspects of abundance related to harvest and livestock? How does that intersect with class and the control of food? Editor: I see how this object becomes more complex when we consider the layers of society, power, gender and cultural practices behind it. Curator: Exactly. By viewing it through that lens, it provokes deeper conversations about social organization and meaning making that even transcend its time period. Editor: I agree; I’ll definitely look at ancient art differently now. Curator: Wonderful. The point is to examine not just the artifact, but what the artifact tells us about social power.