Epic Cinema Rush3:

My object of choice, while watching Ben Hur, was a Bucket. The first Bucket i saw was seen 20 min. into the film, sitting on the Window Sill of Joe's Carpentry shop. Another town fellow comes to the shop to chastize Joe about his Son's negligence toward finishing the man's table. In this scene we get a chance to see how a community will try to raise a child, Joes friend means to give him advice yet seems selfish.
The second appearance of a similar bucket can be seen later in the film during a discussion between BenHur and his Roman Childhood friend, the Tribune. The Men seperate themselves from Juda BenHur's mother and sister, and the Tribune begins to question Juda about informants plotting against the Roman Empire. The bucket can be seen hanging from a pole at the stables 10 paces behind Juda and the Tribune. The Tribune then asks Juda BenHur to join him in alligning with the Roman Emperor, which Juda quickly rejects on the basis of his religion.
Already, i made the connection between the two scenes: Friendship and Religion. We see between Joe and the other man that they have a relationship in town, they seem friendly. This intimacy allows the man to advice Joe on the parenting of his child. We also know, thru common knowlege of the Bible, that Joes son Jesus is out creating and worshipping a new religion. In the next scene, we have already discovered thruogh the dialougue that the Tribune and BenHur have grown up together as eguals and best friends. We also can diduce through history that there is a Tension between them over religion, BenHur being Jewish. So seeing the buckets, within the context of conversations between friends, and both instances having a religious  associated tension clouding the scenes.
Later, as the Roman Soldiers enter BenHur's Hometown, we see a man at a well pulling up another wooden bucket. Soon after we get a shot of the Tribune, and then a Shot of BenHur overlooking him. Again, we see the bucket and a pair of "friends" linked closely together.
The last and most obvious example of the bucket and friendship/religion togetherness is seen in a later scene, when the Romans refuse to water the Slaves. The bucket sits on the edge of the well, as Jesus takes a Gourd of water and against orders, relieves Juda of his thirst.
In these 4 instances, one can predict the oncoming relationship from the sight of that bucket. i see it as full of water. in all 4 examples, the buckets seem to be of public use: Joe's bucket sits on the outer sill of his shop, the stable bucket also hangs out from under the overhang for passerby, and the 2 Well buckets are obviously apart of the Public Drinking System. i think of people coming togather, and sharing that bucket. They'd drink from it or Wash and then pass it to their commrades. The water is for everyone, Jesus seems to make this point upon poring it into a dying BenHur's mouth, this is the prerequisite to a silent lifelong bond between Jesus Christ and Juda BenHur.
i believe there are many more instances when we could work a bucket into a scene where 2 friends are joining together. For instance, i was searching for one in the scenes on the boat, when Juda is unshackled and eventually saves the Boats Captain from a cold wet death.
The Bucket = a friendship with Religious tension