A LARGE INDUS VALLEY MEHRGARH  POLYCHROME BOWL Circa 3rd Millennium B.C. Standing on a short ring foot, the bulbous body, with broad open mouth, decorated with a pale polychrome slip depicting an advancing lion and a bull, the upper border in the form of geometric designs, 42cm diameter. Provenance: Private UK collection, acquired on the European art market.  Footnotes: Predating the Bronze Age Indus valley civilisation and one of the earliest known farming settlements in South Asia, the cultural production at Mehrgarh is characterised by stylised pottery female figurines and large pottery vessels, such as this example. The vessels, many decorated with pastel-coloured polychrome slip, often depict zoomorphic scenes.