South Italian Pottery - Black Gloss Ware: Black Gloss Feeder
Inv. No.: 95.036
Provenance: South Italy (Metaponto)
Date: 4th/3rd century BC
Height: 83mm
Diameter: 61 mm (without spout)
A black gloss feeder with a cylindrical neck that gently curves into a rounded body decorated with ribbing and incised asterisks. The mouth is flaring in shape with a flat top. There is a narrow conical spout set on the shoulder, pointing up at an angle of about forty five degrees. At right angles to this is a flat strap handle that passes from the edge of the mouth to the shoulder. The foot is a convex disc set off from the body by a groove. The dull black covers the outside of the vase and the inside of the neck. There is some abrasion revealing orange clay and also some incrustation. Otherwise, the vase is intact.
Function:
This vase was perhaps a feeder for babies or invalids. It could also be used for filling lamps with oil and for funerary purposes.
Manufacture:
A wheel-thrown vase with a handle that was shaped by hand.
Decoration:
- There are two fine incised rings around the lower part of the neck.
- The body of the vase is decorated with narrow vertical ribbing that is interrupted beneath the spout and the handle.
- The plain panels beneath the spout and the handle are decorated with an incised asterisk.
Bibliography:
Sparkes, B. A. and L. Talcott, The Athenian Agora: Volume XII. Black and Plain Pottery of the 6th, 5th and 4th centuries BC: Part 1, Princeton, New Jersey, The American School of Classical Studies at Athens, 1970, 161-162 ("Feeder").
Comparanda:
Breitenstein, N. and K. Friis Johansen, Corpus Vasorum Antiquorum, Danemark 7, Copenhague 7 (1955), IV, Plate 280, 11.
Büsing-Kolbe, A., Corpus Vasorum Antiquorum, Deutschland 43, Mainz 2 (1978), Tafel 32, 6 (similar shape). , Italia 29, Capua 3 (undated), IV, Eg, Tavola 8, 2-5, especially 5 (very similar shape and decoration).
Corpus Vasorum Antiquorum
Sparkes, B. A. and L. Talcott, The Athenian Agora: Volume XII. Black and Plain Pottery of the 6th, 5th and 4th centuries BC: Part 2, Princeton, New Jersey, The American School of Classical Studies at Athens, 1970, Plate 39, 1197-1199 (Attic examples without neck or flaring lip).