Ashmolean Museum Oxford
The Bill Skinner Studio
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Empower yourself with this antique gold charm of a bull, based on a Cypriot zoomorphic rhyton (libation vessel). In Cypriot art and culture, the bull symbolises fertility and strength, as well as playing an important role in Cypriot religion associated with both male and female fertility.
For lovers of historical artefacts, the Cypriot bull has been replicated in minute and delicate detail. Just simply clip the charm onto our special charm necklace or bracelet, and mix and match with other exquisite pieces from the Ashmolean's collections.
Each charm is sold separately, and you can find a link to the rest of the charms collection by clicking here.
The original bull rhyton or vessel has a filling hole at the back of the bull's head, a tiny pouring hole at the snout and a handle of top, making it the perfect oil or vinegar vessel. It is an example of Base Ring Ware, developed as one type of Cypriot pottery ware in the Late Bronze Age (c. 1650-1050 BCE). It is very fine, thin-walled and hard wired, and almost has a metal-clang to it when you tap it. This bull and all other zoomorphic vessels and figurines show that general pottery decoration techniques were used during this period, and that the white stripes on this piece are not necessarily indicating fur patterns of the bull.
The Bill Skinner Studio is a British-based jewellery designer who captures magnificent animals and natural subjects in exquisite detail. Skinner launched his namesake brand with a collection of remarkably charismatic and distinctive pieces in 2012. Inspired by the natural world, the team work from their studio in Kent and hand-carve every delicate piece to ensure that the utmost detail is obtained.
Credit: Base Ring II bull figurine, Cyprus, (c.1550–c.1200 BC). Ceramic.
Materials: 100% brass with gold plating
Dimensions: 2.1 x 1.6 cm
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Pickup
Our Pickup service is a convenient way for you to order online and collect your purchase in person at the Museum. Simply select the Pickup option at checkout.
You will be notified when your order is ready for collection. Please don't come to the museum to collect until you have received the email notification. We ask that you collect your Pickup order from the Ashmolean Shop (Level -1) before 4pm.
Once you have received the collection notification, we will hold your order for you up to 2 weeks. Please ensure that you visit the Museum to collect your order within 2 weeks.
The Online Shop team operates between Monday-Friday 10:00-16:00, so please allow time for us to prepare your order for collection, particularly at busy times of the year. We aim to have your order ready for collection within 72 hours.
Delivery Information
The Online Shop team operates between Monday-Friday 10:00-16:00, so please allow time for us to prepare your order for dispatch before contacting us. We aim to dispatch your purchases within 3-5 working days and you will receive an email notification when your order has been dispatched. In addition, while we endeavour to get your parcel to you as quickly as possible, you may experience delays through your local postal service.
All products excluding Print on Demand prints:
All our UK orders are dispatched via Royal Mail First Class post or DHL, and the shipping cost will be calculated at checkout based on the weight of the items included in the order.
All International orders are dispatched using DHL DAP service. This means that we will only charge you for the cost of shipping. We offer a flat rate of shipping according to the delivery address location. Additional local duties and taxes charges, such as Goods and Services Tax (GST), may be applicable and will be calculated and charged to the recipient during customs clearance. The duties and taxes will be calculated according to the value, Country of Origin, and product type of the order contents, as well as local VAT.
Customs policies vary for each country, so it is advised you contact your local customs office for further information.
Delivery Costs and Timeframes:
UK 1st Class: delivery 2-5 business days from dispatch
- Small – Medium parcel (<1,999g) – shipping cost £5.00
- Medium – Large parcel (2,000g – 5,000g) – shipping cost £8.00
Europe: approximately 3-11 business days from dispatch (customs clearance may cause delays). PO Box addresses cannot be accepted.
- Flat rate (2,000g maximum) – shipping cost £24.00 (does not include taxes and duties)
Rest of World: approximately 3-11 business days from dispatch (customs clearance may cause delays). PO Box addresses cannot be accepted.
- Flat rate (2,000g maximum) – shipping cost £28.00 (does not include taxes and duties)
Rest of World: approximately 3-11 business days from dispatch (customs clearance may cause delays). PO Box addresses cannot be accepted.
- Flat rate (2,000g maximum) – shipping cost £28.00 (+ duties and taxes calculated a checkout)
Weight Restrictions
There is 5kg weight restriction for UK orders, and a 2kg weight restriction for International orders. If your order exceeds this weight, please contact the Online Shop team so that we can organise a quote for special delivery: onlineshop@ashmus.ox.ac.uk
Further information on our delivery options and returns policy can be found in Shipping & Returns.
