Apulian Pottery - Black Gloss Ware: Guttus
Inv. No.: 89.004
Provenance: Apulia
Date: 4th century BC
Height: 130 mm (without spout)
Diameter: 110mm
Gift of an anonymous donor.
A large guttus with a low, rounded body decorated with a ribbed pattern. In the centre of the closed, flattened top is a medallion with a moulded head of Silenus. The medallion is framed by a ring with grooves on inner and outer edges. The body of the vase sits on a high foot in two degrees. The top section slopes slightly inwards, while the bottom section is slightly concave in profile with a thickened ring at its top and a wider ring at the bottom. The annular handle has a rounded outer surface and is set on the shoulder. At right angles to it is the long, angled spout that has a flared base. The mouth has four grooves on its convex upper surface and meets the spout at a sharp angle. The vase is painted a dull black except for the reserved upper degree of the foot. The black has worn away from the handle and spout and parts of the body and foot, and the edge of the spout is chipped. Otherwise the vase is in good condition.
Function:
Gutti were probably used to fill lamps with oil.
Manufacture:
This vase has wheel-thrown, hand-made and moulded parts.
Decoration:
- The top of the body has a central medallion with a finely moulded head of a bearded Silenus, an elderly satyr, in high relief. Around it is a ring defined by grooves on its edges.
- On the shoulder is a double incised ring with fine vertical ribbing below this on most of the body, except for the narrow angle between the spout and the handle where there is an incised cross pattern between double vertical incised lines.
Bibliography:
Hayes, J. W., Greek and Italian Black-Gloss Wares and Related Wares in the Royal Ontario Museum: A Catalogue, Toronto, Royal Ontario Museum, 1984, 53-56 ("Calenian" Gutti).
Richter, G. M. A., "Calenian Pottery and Classical Greek Metalware", American Journal of Archaeology, 63 (1959), 241-249.
Comparanda:
Boardman, J. and M. Robertson, Corpus Vasorum Antiquorum, Great Britain 15, Castle Ashby (1979), Plate 59, 5-6 (similar shape with a satyr head medallion). , Italia 22, Naples 2 (undated), (III) IV, E, Tavola 23, 3 and 5, Tavola 24, 1 (detail Tavola 31, 1) and 4 (detail Tavola 32, 2), Tavola 25, 6 (detail 37, 2) (gutti with Silenus medallions). , Italia 29, Capua 3 (undated), (III) IV, E g, Tavola 13, 9 (similar shape).
Corpus Vasorum Antiquorum
Corpus Vasorum Antiquorum
Jentel, M.-O., Corpus Vasorum Antiquorum, France 23, Louvre 15 (1968), IV E, Plate 16, 12 and Plate 22, 6 (medallion), Plate 17, 2 and Plate 22, 8 (medallion), Plate 29, 18 (similar shape).
Kranz, P. and R. Lullies, Corpus Vasorum Antiquorum, Deutschland 38, Kassel 2 (1975), Tafel 72, 3-4 (similar shape, but lower foot).
Mayence, F. and V. Verhoogen, Corpus Vasorum Antiquorum, Belgique 3, Bruxelles 3 (1949), IV E, Plate 3, 37 (shape).
Metzger, I. R. et al, Corpus Vasorum Antiquorum, Schweiz 5, Svizzera 5 (1979), Tavola 54, 46 (similar shape).