LAST week’s Craven Curiosity for the second week running, had everyone stumped; however, a quick run round the office came up with some insightful suggestions, including an ancient mortar - from a pestle and mortar set, and some form of ancient Greek cup or bowl. It is actually thought to be a ‘pygmy or incense’ cup, dating from the early Bronze Age (2500BC -1500BC), and even more interestingly, was found under the pavement in Keighley Road, Skipton in the 1950s.

Bryan Morgan, collections assistant at Craven Museum, where the cup can be seen, tells us: “It is a small, round ceramic cup often called a pygmy cup or incense cup, although their use is still unknown to archaeologists as residue analysis of the cups has been inconclusive. The cups date from the Bronze Age, and are often found in burials as grave goods.This particular cup has a flat base and is made of a grey or buff fabric. The cup has decorated all over with rows of horizontal cord impressions, a style of decoration that is associated with the Beaker period of the Early Bronze Age . The cup was found under the pavement on Keighley Road by a construction worker during the 1950’s next to what was at the time Regal Cinema but is now a night club.

Hopefully, this week’s Craven Curiosity will be a little bit easier - suggestions should be sent before 8am on Monday to lesley.tate@cravenherald.co.uk