Archaeological Bronze Censer

An Archaeological Bronze Censer is an archaeological censer made of bronze, discovered in the archaeological Qaryat al-Faw, located southeast of Wadi ad-Dawasir Governorate, Riyadh Province, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The bronze censer has a rectangular base supported by four legs resembling lizard feet without toes. The base consists of two rectangular tiers, with the upper one being smaller than the lower one. Above them is a third circular tier, which supports the cylindrical censer holder. The top of the holder has a twisted, outward-protruding rim that extends beyond the holder's body due to its larger diameter. The censer itself is circular, with a pointed bottom that fits into the holder's upper opening. The basin is deep, but its depth is reduced by evenly spaced triangular openings around its circumference, with their points facing downward. Above these triangles is the rim of the basin, which extends as a continuation of its body.

Height: ten cm.

Upper diameter: six cm.

Lower base dimensions: eight by 8.5 cm

The bronze censer dates back to the period between the third century BCE and the third century CE and was used for burning incense.

It is preserved at the Museum of the Department of Archaeology at King Saud University in Riyadh, along with other discoveries from the archaeological Qaryat al-Faw. The censer was also among the artifacts selected for display in the Saudi Archeological Masterpieces Through the Ages Exhibition, held at the Louvre Museum in the French capital, Paris, in 2010. The exhibition featured three hundred artifacts of various materials and historical periods, all original pieces from different regions of Saudi Arabia. These artifacts were categorized into three historical groups: Prehistoric artifacts, pre-Islamic artifacts, and Islamic-era artifacts.

The discovery of the bronze censer is among the results of archaeological survey and excavation efforts conducted by the Saudi antiquities and museums sector over the years. It is also one of the findings of Saudi archaeologists and scientific missions. The bronze censer is cataloged under the number 216 F 7.

The bronze censer highlights the metallurgical skills of ancient inhabitants in the Arabian Peninsula, demonstrating their ability to craft metal objects. The artist successfully shaped this censer using bronze, integrating rectangular, circular, cylindrical, and pyramidal forms into a single cohesive piece.