Animal headed bronze ceremonial vessel (Rhyton). Achaemenid Persian, 500-400 BC, Eastern Anatolia
Horn shaped animal headed ceremonial drinking vessels were the products of Achaemenid Persian court culture. The tradition of drinking spirits from the animal horns evolved into the manufacture of horn shaped fancy drinking vessels made of gold, silver, bronze or pottery. They were widespread in the Near Eastern and Anatolian lands of the Achaemenid Empire and later in Greece. Made in two parts, the horn shaped body ended with an animal head such as goat, ram or bull or rarely with a human figure. At the body used for drinking the hole in the animal head functioned to pour drinks. The mountain goat on display has a hole below its mouth.