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, we find a character who faces immense suffering, and what a striking image it creates—there he is, Job, sitting in the ashes, grappling with his agony. Scratching his sores with pieces of broken pottery emphasizes the harshness of his trials. Why pottery? In the ancient Near East, pottery was not just about functionality; it often held family memories and shared history. Just imagine the frail reminders of life tossed aside!

The term "potsherd" invokes a sense of brokenness, not just physically, but existentially. Job lost his family, health, and wealth, and here he finds a way to reflect that brokenness in a tangible sense. Sorrow all around him is represented by the very act of scratching at his sores with this fragment of his life. It gives us a real profound picture of hopelessness mixed with resilience.

Acknowledging symbols of sitting in ashes isn’t just about grief—it is also a culturally rich expression. In biblical times, wearing sackcloth and covering oneself in ashes was a traditional way to mourn, a public declaration of one’s state of misery. This powerful act resonated through various communities. Plus, history shows that Job's self-scratching connects with other ancient traditions where physical pain and mourning were openly acknowledged as steps toward healing. Thus, the lake of ashes became a cornerstone for his transformation, ultimately leading to enormous revelation and spiritual growth, woven deeply into human experience and suffering.