Created during the era of the Kings David and
Solomon, this simple yet charming vessel exudes
an energy of the ages, glowing from within its
surface, richly patinated by the fingerprints of
history. Such a vessel would have been a
necessity in the ancient world to contain and
transport precious oils and unguents. Our
imagination is stimulated as we try to picture
whose hands might have held this vessel almost
three millennia ago. It is plausible that such a
jug was used by Samuel to symbolically anoint
Saul as the King of Israel. Whatever the secrets of
its past, we are aware that it was crafted by
ancient hands, held and used by people who
lived in a time of religious and political
revolution. Although its original contents have
long disappeared, the energy of those vanished
lives is still contained within this vessel. This jug
was once a vital, indispensable part of everyday
life in the ancient world. Today, it is even more
valuable to our modern lives, not as a container,
but as a symbol of the past. This jug holds
history inside, it reminds us of the lives, the joys
and struggles, the triumphs and defeats, of
those who came before us
- (SP.065)
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