Indian Lota or Ceremonial Water Vessel

Behold a small squat pot with a two-tone belly, as if it dipped itself in gold.

This copper lota, or ceremonial water vessel is from Haridwar, Uttarakhand, India, and dates to the early 20th century. The lota is a small rounded water pot used across South Asia for washing, drinking and ritual offerings, often with a narrow mouth and wide base. Roughly, a compact round jar with a rolled lip and short neck sits on a flat foot. The shoulder is hammered, orange-brown in color, while the lower band is a yellower tone with a clear edge between the two. It is 5 inches wide, 5 deep and 4.25 high.

Short, neat and sharply divided between two moods.