Campanian Pottery - Teano Ware: Net Lekythos
Inv. No.: 69.002
Provenance: Campania
Date: 3rd century BC
Height: 116mm
Diameter: 62mm
This small lekythos has a net-patterned ovoid body and a narrow neck which ends in a flat, disc-shaped lip. A flat strap handle passes from the edge of the lip to the top of the body. There is a moulded ring halfway down the neck. The base of the vase is set on a narrow ring foot that is torus in profile. The main colour is the light orange of the clay with black used to accent parts such as the edge of the lip and the base. Black is also used for floral and geometric patterns along with added white. The decoration is cursorily applied and the black is thin in places. Overall, the vase is in excellent condition.
Function:
A container for oil or perfumed oil, for domestic or funerary uses.
Manufacture:
A wheel-thrown vase with a turned lip and foot. The handle was shaped by hand and attached with slip.
Decoration:
- There is a black line around the edge of the lip and black covers the top half of the handle. Two horizontal black strokes decorate the outside of the lower section of the handle. Black continues from the top part of the handle down onto the top part of the neck beneath it, perhaps as a result of dipping. The moulded ring is also painted black. Black tongues are sparsely distributed around the bottom half of the neck.
- There is a roughly painted lotus and palmette pattern in black with added white on the shoulder and a black band, also with added white, passes around the top of the body, continuing across the base of the handle.
- The reserved body is covered with a black net pattern with white dots on the intersections. Streaky black covers the bottom part of the body and foot.
Bibliography:
Beazley, J. D., "The Bulas Group", Annual of the British School at Athens, XLI (1940-45), 17-21 (Athenian 4th century net lekythoi).
Kanowski, M.G., The Antiquities Collection, catalogue, Department of Classics and Ancient History, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, 1978, 28.
Comparanda:
Greifenhagen, A., Corpus Vasorum Antiquorum, Deutschland 4, Braunschweig 1 (1940), Tafel 33, 8 (net pattern bottle with similar lip), 12 (Campanian net lekythos).
Hayes, J. W., Greek and Italian Black-Gloss Wares and Related Wares in the Royal Ontario Museum: A Catalogue, Toronto, Royal Ontario Museum, 1984, Nos. 245-248 (net lekythoi), No. 276 (Sicilian net pattern bottle with similar shape and lip).
Kunze-Götte, E., Corpus Vasorum Antiquorum, Deutschland 26, Stuttgart 1 (1965), Tafel 62, 5 (Campanian net pattern bottle with similar lip).