2-748-014 - Heritage Art/Heritage Images

White Cross-Lined Bowl with Turtle and Sun, c. 4000-3400 BCs. Red polished vessels with white painted decoration (known as white-cross lined ware or C-ware) represent Egypt’s oldest known tradition in painted pottery. The decoration on this bowl features the sun on the side and a turtle on the bottom of the vessel. The turtle was considered the enemy of the sun god because it preferred the murky river bottom to the sunlight.