Trallib (Oil Container)

Object/Artifact

-

The Civilization of Llhuros

TRALLIB (Oil Container) | Female form | circa1966-71 | Photo by Ann Cady. 2024 | ©2026 Norman Daly Art: One side of a double-sided earthenware figurine with a tapered, elongated head, and a minimalist representation of the female form, featuring a broad upper body that narrows down to a rounded base, with textured surfaces and earthy colors creating a rustic appearance; it exhibits a cone-shaped head with a small hole at the peak, breasts and a prominent vulva, while reflecting an ancient or tribal aesthetic, possibly serving as a ceremonial or symbolic artifact influenced by cultural traditions.
TRALLIB (Oil Container) | Female form | circa1966-71 | Photo by Ann Cady. 2024 | ©2026 Norman Daly Art

One side of a double-sided earthenware figurine with a tapered, elongated head, and a minimalist representation of the female form, featuring a broad upper body that narrows down to a rounded base, with textured surfaces and earthy colors creating a rustic appearance; it exhibits a cone-shaped head with a small hole at the peak, breasts and a prominent vulva, while reflecting an ancient or tribal aesthetic, possibly serving as a ceremonial or symbolic artifact influenced by cultural traditions.

Name/Title

Trallib (Oil Container)

Entry/Object ID

COL.69

Description

This rare, double-sided, hermaphrodite trallib (oil container) was found in the excavations at Vanibo, near the site of the shrine of Malmus. Used mainly during the Late Archaic period, It held sacred body oils for public ceremonies.

Category

Late Archaic

Made/Created

Artist

Norman Daly

Date made

circa 1966 - 1971

Place

City

Ithaca, New York

Continent

North America

Ethnography

Cultural Region

Region

Asia Minor

Culture/Tribe

Llhuros

Dimensions

Height

14-1/4 in

Width

4-3/4 in

Depth

4-3/4 in

Materials

Material

Earthenware

Material Notes

Fictional medium as described by Norman Daly in the 1972 catalog and exhibition tags. The actual media was a plastic dish detergent bottle with plastic top piece; metal genitalia; faux surface treatment; metal base.

Acquisition

Notes

This object is a unique element of the "Civilization of Llhuros" collection given to the Cornell University Anthropology Collaboratory in 2026.

Exhibitions

Cornell University | A.D. White Museum of Art (1972)
Cornell University, Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art (2004)
La Panacée, centre d'art contemporain | "Plurivers" | Montpellier, France (2017-18)
Istanbul Biennial, 16th | "The Seventh Continent" (2019)
Akron Art Institute (1972)
Cornell University | A.D. White Museum of Art (1972)
Indianapolis Art Museum (1972)
Istanbul Biennial, 16th | "The Seventh Continent" (2019)
Memorial Art Gallery | University of Rochester (1972)
Roberson Center for Art and Science, Binghamton, NY (1974)
Romische-Germanisches Museum | "Projekt '74" | Cologne Germany (1974)
SUNY Albany | Art Gallery (1973}
University of Pennsylvania Art Museum, Philadelphia (1974)