The answer is: Broken pottery

Job 2:7-8 - The KJV says potsherd which is a fragment of broken vessel. He sat in the ashes while he did this to show his sorrow.

In the Book of Job, the choice of broken pottery—a potsherd, as the KJV describes—is particularly symbolic. Imagine Job sitting on a heap of ash, surrounded by the remnants of what was once part of a beautiful vessel, mirroring his own broken life. This scene is not just a grim picture; it's layered with meaning. Ashes throughout the Scriptures often symbolize mourning and repentance. In this moment, Job is not only scratching his painful sores but visibly expressing the depths of his loss and grief.

Fun fact: Pottery in ancient Israel wasn't merely functional; it represented creativity, skill, and also the earth's nurturing spirit. Broken pottery could serve a dual purpose—both a tool for healing and a vivid metaphor for Job's shattered existence. In a culture where individuals seldom sat idle in mourning, using an object from life's routines emphasizes his agonizing departure from normalcy.

The Old Testament has echoes of loss and sorrow as part of life's narrative. Think of Job's friend Eliphaz, who heaps advice rather than comfort, reminiscent of many frustrated attempts we see in scripture where friends conjoin wisdom but often miss truly comforting those in grief. In baffling experiences like Job's, cradling hope with honesty can inspire a path beyond suffering. Through pieces of broken pottery and earnest discussions with visceral hardships, we key into something profoundly significant in the human experience: encountering God while right in the thick of pain.