This bowl with an X-shaped handle can be dated to c. 50 BC-200 AD, i.e., [Late Pre-Roman Iron Age or Early Roman Iron Age](https://bit.ly/3vucSEX). It was found in [Gårdby parish](https://bit.ly/3hrP1gS) on the island of Öland. It belongs to a type of fine ware with carefully polished surface and a delicately incised décor. The black surface is a result of firing in a reducing atmosphere, in other words, the oxygen supply has been restricted during the firing. It is made in a style typical for Southern Scandinavia, Northern Germany and Poland. The bowl has probably been used as a drinking vessel at feasts, dinners and during rituals. Online Collections: [580574_HST](https://bit.ly/3stKKjB)