Attic Pottery - Black-Figure Ware: Sherd from an Attic Black-figure Lekythos

Inv. No.: 70.015
Provenance: Attica
Date: c. 500 BC
Height: 60mm
Diameter: 75mm
 
Gift of the British Museum

This is a fragment consisting of part of the shoulder and top of the body of an Attic black-figure lekythos. The colours are the red of the clay, black used for geometric, floral and figural decoration, with incision and added white used on the figures. The latter include the top half of a woman carrying a hydria on her head and a youth holding a wreath. Vines are shown in the background. This is perhaps part of a scene at a fountain house. There are chips missing from the edge of the shoulder and over the figures.

 

Function:
Lekythoi were used to hold perfumed oil, either for personal use or given as an offering.

Manufacture:
This vase was thrown on the wheel in sections with the neck probably thrown from a coil of clay placed on the shoulder.

Decoration:

1. The shoulder section has a pattern of black tongues near the neck region and linked lotus buds on its outer edge.
2. The scene on the body section consists of the figure of a woman dressed in a chiton shown in profile, facing left and carrying a hydria on her head. The top of the vase intrudes into the shoulder lotus frieze. To her right is the profile figure of a youth holding a wreath which is painted in dilute slip. He wears a himation and also faces left. Added white is used for the woman's flesh and as an edging on the youth's cloak. Incision is used for anatomical detail and clothing patterns. There is a diagonally placed vine branch on either side of the woman.

Bibliography:
Boardman, J., "Herakles, Peisistratos and Sons", Revue Archéologique, No. 1 (1972), 68.

Dunkley, B., "Greek Fountain-Buildings before 300 B.C.", The Annual of the British School at Athens, 36 (1935-36), 142-204.

Kanowski, M.G., The Antiquities Collection, catalogue, Department of Classics and Ancient History, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, 1978, 12-13.

Pedley, J. G., "Reflections of Architecture in Sixth-Century Attic Vase-Painting", Papers on the Amasis Painter and His World, Malibu, California, The J. Paul Getty Museum, 1987, 63-80.

Comparanda:
Follmann, A-B., Corpus Vasorum Antiquorum, Deutschland 34, Hannover 1 (1971), Tafel 20 (black-figure lekythos with fountain house scene).

Moore, M. B. and M. Z. P. Philippides, Attic Black-Figured Pottery, Princeton, New Jersey, The American School of Classical Studies at Athens, 1986, Plate 79, 869 (black-figure lekythos with fountain house scene).