This brown glazed lime pot has a globular body with incised bands and an applied elephant head.The elephant formed an important part in Khmer life, used as means of domestic and military transport as well as in elephant fights for entertainment. The presence of limepots in Khmer ware indicates the Indian tradition of chewing betel nut extended to the Khmer people.Khmer ceramics have a variety of distinctive forms. However, only two types of glazes were used. One was thin, pale green, usually translucent and finely crazed while the other varied from chestnut brown to olive-green and black and always mottled. Sometimes these two glazes were used on one piece.Excavations show that brown glazed wares were produced by the late tenth century. Khmer ceramics are noted for their simplicity in design. Decoration was used in moderation thus allowing for the beauty of the forms to stand out.
