A Sense for Incense

This week’s find is the Chalice. The chalice is a unique type of vessel. The chalice is basically a bowl on a tall leg. it is not a very common vessel, although at Tell es-Safi, we have discovered quite a few of them (there are seven complete examples – see three nice examples in the picture – and many more that are only portions of such vessels). There are several general explanations given for the function of the chalice. Some think it was used for ceremonial drinking, sort of like a modern-day wine glass, although the rim of some of these vessels seem to make this unlikely, as it would be quite uncomforable to drink from them. Others suggest it was used to burn incense, which would make sense considering the burn marks that were found on some of our chalices. Another possibility is that it served as a vessel for a cultic offering, in cultic contexts.