Menasampulla

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Menasampulla
Coptic; 6th c.

Menasampullae are a specific group of ceramic products in the early Christian period. Menas was a great Christian Coptic saint and martyr and his shrine in Menas a town not far from Alexandria was a source of holy water. Pilgrims came to take holy water in ampullae-bottles of this kind showing the saint standing in prayer between two camels, often depicted on both sides. Beside his name was often written Hagios Menas - Holy Menas. Production of ampullae-bottles went on from the 4th to the 7th c.