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Beakers are a range of early pottery, including jars and fine pots for drinking. This ceramic pot, of a type sometimes termed a beaker, was found at Bathgate in West Lothian.

The pot is almost entirely decorated with impressions of twisted cord, spirally wound around the body. Such decoration was popular in Continental Europe, particularly the middle and lower Rhineland, between 2500 and 2050 BC.

Beaker pottery was adopted as a prestigious Continental novelty from around 2500 BC along with other novelties. The finest beakers are usually found in burials, where they were deposited, probably full, as gifts to accompany the deceased to the afterlife.

Record details

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• Online ID: 000-100-035-068-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  X.EG 47
• Date: Between 2300 and 1700 BC
  
• Material: Ceramic; continuous spiral line incised outside; three lines on inner lip
  Pottery / beaker
  
• Dimensions: 5.75" H; mouth 5.38" D; base 3.00" D
  
• What: Pottery / beaker
  
• Subject:
• Who:
• Where: Scotland, West Lothian, Bathgate
  
• Event:
• Description: Beaker with a continuous spiral line incised outside and three lines on the inner lip, found in a sandpit at Bathgate
  
• References:
  • Clarke, D.V., Cowie, T.G., & Foxon, Andrew (eds). Symbols of power at the time of Stonehenge. Edinburgh: National Museums of Antiquities of Scotland, 1985, pp 82, 269. 
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