Communion beaker from Keig Parish Church, Aberdeenshire, 1671

Communion beaker from Keig Parish Church, Aberdeenshire, 1671

Vessel of Beaker pottery, from Lesmurdie, Moray, Early Bronze Age

Vessel of Beaker pottery, from Lesmurdie, Moray, Early Bronze Age

Beaker of red burnished earthenware, tall ovoid form with flat base and flaring lip, exterior painted in white slip with a linear pattern of plant forms and chevron motives: Ancient Egyptian, Predynastic, Naqada I

Beaker of Kerma pottery, with the remains of textile wrapping around the mouth: Ancient Nubian, Upper Egypt, Thebes, Qurna, Classic Kerma Period, 1585-1545 BC

Beaker of Kerma pottery : Ancient Nubian, excavated Upper Egypt, Thebes, Qurna, Classic Kerma Period, 1585-1545 BC

Beaker of Kerma pottery : Ancient Nubian, excavated Upper Egypt, Thebes, Qurna, Classic Kerma Period, 1750-1550 BC

Beaker of Kerma pottery : Ancient Nubian, excavated Upper Egypt, Thebes, Qurna, Classic Kerma Period, 1585-1545 BC

Beaker of Kerma pottery, with small remains of the netting in which it was originally contained adhering to the outer surface: Ancient Nubian, excavated Upper Egypt, Thebes, Qurna, Classic Kerma Period, 1750-1550 BC

Beaker of Kerma pottery, with small remains of the netting in which it was originally contained, adhering to the base and sides : Ancient Nubian, excavated Upper Egypt, Thebes, Qurna, Classic Kerma Period, 1585-1545 BC

Beaker of crackled porcelain, painted in enamel colours and gold with a lotus plant and a poppy, and the base inscribed 'Ninsei': Japan, 19th century

Beaker of dark pottery, an inverted cone with a cusped lip, and an incised curvilinear pattern, imperfect: Japan, Musashi province, Mitsusawa shell-mound, Late Jomon, early period, Horinouchi style

Porcelain beaker, with tall cylindrical neck and flaring mouth, painted in underglaze blue with mountain landscape: China, Qing Dynasty, Kangxi reign, 1662 - 1722

Bell beaker of light green blown glass, with opaque white trails and base blob: Northern European, Northern France: Merovingian, late 5th to early 6th century AD

Cup or beaker of colourless glass, cylindrical with straight sides and a slightly flared mouth, with minimal enamelled decoration comprised of two red and yellow horizontal bands and two small roundels: Middle East, probably Syria, mid 12th - 13th century