Indian Tazza Form Holy Water Vessel

A shallow footed cup with a wide-open mouth and a conical little stem.

This tazza-form holy water vessel is from Karnataka, South India, and dates to the 19th century. It is brass. Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc, and it has long been a favored metal for household and devotional vessels in South India. Dish-shaped bowl in pale yellow-brown with a broad, flat rim and finely incised lines near the lip. It stands on a short stem with a ridged foot. Dark patches and scuffs mark the polished surface. It is 2.1 inches high and 3.4 in diameter.

Wide mouth, short legs, no complaints.