Among the notable artefacts preserved in the Archaeology Fund of the National Museum of History of Azerbaijan is a stone rhyton discovered at the site of ancient Shamakhi. Topped with sculpted representations of two human heads and a dog’s head, this vessel offers insight into the religious beliefs and ritual practices of people who lived more than two thousand years ago.

The rhyton was discovered in 1964 during archaeological excavations in ancient Shamakhi. The distinguished archaeologist Jabbar Khalilov, who studied the find, devoted a separate scholarly article to the vessel and suggested that it had been used for drinking during religious ceremonies. He dated the artefact to the 3rd–2nd centuries BC.

The vessel was carved from soft limestone. It measures 17 cm in height, with a base diameter of 9 cm. Its body is bell-shaped, while the upper section is adorned with sculpted representations of two human heads and one dog’s head. These sculptural features distinguish the rhyton from ordinary domestic pottery and point to its specialised, possibly ritual, function.

In the ancient world, rhytons were generally used in ceremonial contexts for drinking or for making ritual libations of sacred beverages as offerings. The artistic design of the Shamakhi example further supports the hypothesis that it was associated with ritual practices.

The rhyton has not survived in its entirety and has undergone restoration. Nevertheless, it provides valuable evidence of the stone-carving skills of ancient craftsmen and the artistic sensibilities of its time.

In 2021, archaeologist and Professor Najaf Museibli, Doctor of Historical Sciences, transferred the artefact to the museum’s Archaeology Fund for permanent safekeeping. Given its scholarly and historical-cultural significance, museum specialists consider the rhyton a suitable candidate for display in the museum’s exhibition.