Tripod bowl 10th-14th century

Editor: So, here we have a "Tripod Bowl", dated from somewhere in the 10th to 14th century, displayed here at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. It is an anonymous earthenware ceramic sculpture from the Medieval period. What first strikes me is how…functional it seems, but also deeply strange with those little figures hanging off the legs! What's your take on it? Curator: Functional, yet strange – I love that! It’s almost like finding an alien artifact in your grandmother's attic, isn’t it? What strikes me is the sheer survival of it. Think of all the stories it could tell. Its earthenware form suggests a real connection to the earth, a groundedness both literal and symbolic. I see rituals, maybe even feasts. Makes you wonder what kind of stew bubbled away inside, doesn't it? Editor: Absolutely! Given the craftsmanship, you do wonder about its intended purpose. It’s definitely elevated from, say, your average soup bowl! And those little figures -- what’s their story? Curator: Good eye! The adornments speak volumes. They seem totemic, little guardians or storytellers clinging to the bowl. Are they frogs? Lizards perhaps? Maybe they represent fertility, transformation, or the bridge between worlds. Each detail begs a closer look, a deeper interpretation. Maybe we’re not just looking at a bowl, but at a whole cosmography! Editor: Wow, I never considered the bowl itself as a microcosm. It definitely casts the figures in a new light. What a multi-layered object, especially considering how old it is. Thanks for opening my eyes! Curator: The pleasure’s all mine! It's funny how a simple bowl can become a vessel for such rich contemplation. Sometimes, it’s the oldest objects that have the newest things to teach us, wouldn't you agree?