Indian Holy Water Vessel with Stamped Motif

Meet a small flared cup covered in a lattice of tiny diamonds, dark as strong tea.

This brass holy water vessel with stamped motif is from Rajasthan, India, and dates to the 19th century. Rajasthan has a long tradition of metalwork, and vessels there are often shaped with a narrow neck and wide body suited to carrying and pouring water. Evidently, a cylinder with a gently flaring rim and a slightly narrower foot. Its dark surface is crowded with engraved diamond and triangle patterns, finishing in a band of short vertical lines at the base. It is 1.75 inches high and 2.2 in diameter.

A lot of engraving for such a small cup.