lekythos

Frontal view of whole of Horniman Museum object no nn9296
Left side view of whole of Horniman Museum object no nn9296
Rear view of whole of Horniman Museum object no nn9296
Right side view of whole of Horniman Museum object no nn9296
Frontal view of whole of Horniman Museum object no nn9296 Left side view of whole of Horniman Museum object no nn9296 Rear view of whole of Horniman Museum object no nn9296 Right side view of whole of Horniman Museum object no nn9296

Lekythos, oil flask, of Greek, South Italian, or Attic origin. It is made of fine red or pink clay. It is a single-handled miniature, possibly a grave offering. A low foot ring holds a flattened, spherical-bodied, one-piece vessel with a longish neck and bell nozzle. Thin, dull black paint covers the vessel, with a red figure scene on the body of a woman’s head in profile on a groundline. She wears her hair up, and has a large drop button earring. There is florid decoration, possibly of tendrils, a hand, or a mirror, behind and in front of the head.

Lekythoi often served as offerings to the dead, placed on tombs or on the steps of grave stelae and used to anoint funerary mounments, especially by female mourners

object
MUSEUM NUMBER
nn9296
Date
circa 450 - circa 400 BCE
PLACE
COLLECTION
MEASUREMENTS
overall: 107 mm x 64.5 mm x 64 mm
MATERIAL/TECHNIQUE
clay; paint
CATEGORY
Anthropology: Archaeology
LOCATION
On display: Horniman Museum > World Gallery > Europe > Italy - archaeology and boat prow
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Collection Information

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