This is an adorable piece of pottery. As an askos, it would have traditionally been used for pouring oil. However, this vessel has taken on the untraditional form of a pig.  More »

This is an adorable piece of pottery. As an askos, it would have traditionally been used for pouring oil. However, this vessel has taken on the untraditional form of a pig. The snout served as a spout while the oil would have been loaded through the mouth at the top. There is a small ring handle on the side. The pig’s belly is decorated with a wavy incised line and painted white ivy leaves. White paint is also used to depict the alert eyes and brows. The little curly tail and the pointed erect ears reveal the attention the potter paid to naturalistic details. While pottery and functional vessels often took the form of animals, few are quite so entirely successful. In the end, this is not a pouring jar in the shape of a pig; but a pig in the form of a pouring jar. - (PF.5555)   « Less

This terracotta bowl is a fine example of the elegant simplicity of Archaic Greek pottery. The form is inherent to the function: a curved bowl used for the presentation and  More »

This terracotta bowl is a fine example of the elegant simplicity of Archaic Greek pottery. The form is inherent to the function: a curved bowl used for the presentation and serving of foods. The bowl rests on a slightly flaring base, painted red. Originally, two handles would have been attached to the sides to facilitate transportation and usage; remnants of the fragmented joins are still visible. The decoration is kept to a bare minimum; however, it still maintains an air of elegant sophistication. The center of the bowl is highlighted with a ring of concentric circles, similar to a target. Meanwhile, the lip and inner rim are adorned with red paint, echoed in two red bands beneath the rim. An undulating red squiggle adorns the outer rim, connecting the two lost handles. Certain wares, such as this example, are characterized by minimal decoration precisely applied on a buff background to form an elegantly simple bowl. One can easily envision the hand of the craftsman who decorated this bowl with such care and precision. The refined movements of the artist's hands have traversed time for us to admire and treasure. - (PF.6006a)   « Less

The graceful form of this vessel make it as appealing to the modern eye as it no doubt was to the ancient age that created it. Looking at its elegant contours, we do not  More »

The graceful form of this vessel make it as appealing to the modern eye as it no doubt was to the ancient age that created it. Looking at its elegant contours, we do not doubt that its now-vanished contents--probably wine--was of the finest quality. Today, its timeless beauty holds only the seductive fragrance of imagination. One whiff sends us traveling backward through time into a mysterious world. - (PF.6149)   « Less

The graceful form of this vessel make it as appealing to the modern eye as it no doubt was to the ancient age that created it. Looking at its elegant contours, we do not  More »

The graceful form of this vessel make it as appealing to the modern eye as it no doubt was to the ancient age that created it. Looking at its elegant contours, we do not doubt that its now-vanished contents--probably wine--was of the finest quality. Today, its timeless beauty holds only the seductive fragrance of imagination. One whiff sends us traveling backward through time into a mysterious world. - (PF.6150)   « Less

The Mycenaean culture dominated Greece during the Bronze Age with its power, art, and wealth. According to legend, the city of Mycenae was founded by the hero Perseus on the  More »

The Mycenaean culture dominated Greece during the Bronze Age with its power, art, and wealth. According to legend, the city of Mycenae was founded by the hero Perseus on the shores of the Peloponniese. A land of valiant warriors, Mycenae is celebrated by Homer as the home of Agamemnon, the heroic king who led the Greeks to victory against Troy. Furthermore, recent archaeological excavations of Mycenaean palaces attest to their wealth, described by Homer as “:Mycenae, rich in gold.” Culturally, the Mycenaeans were heavily indebted to the Minoan civilization of Crete. Noted for their utilitarian pottery, Mycenaean vessels have been excavated throughout the Mediterranean, attesting wide range of their influence on the art and commerce of the ancient world. The script of Linear B was employed by Mycenaean scribes to record their early Greek language. Linear B would replace Linear A, the script of the Minoans, on Crete, revealing that the Mycenaeans would grow to dominate the civilization they grew out of. Although the Mycenaean civilization began to mysteriously decline after the 13th Century B.C., ruins of their constructions, described as Cyclopean because early historians thought only the Cyclops was capable of building with such large boulders, survive today, testifying to the greatness of this ancient culture.This terracotta vessel has an oval body articulated with decorative bands painted in an orange/brown hue. Three hands are attached to the shoulders with undulating lines connecting the joins. A band of diagonal cross-hatching adorns the space in between the handles, framed by a thick band above and below. The bottom of the vessel features two series of concentric rings, echoing the design just below the join of the neck and shoulder. In addition, the rim has been painted with similar concentric rings, while the inside of the neck is solid orange/brown. This ancient vessel bears a heavy debt to Minoan pottery and is a type of ware that would have been exported throughout the Mediterranean world. Wine or water would have once flowed out from within the hollow confines of this vessel, be it in Greece, Egypt, or the Levant. - (X.0050)   « Less

The body of this terracotta pyxis, burnished red with black swirls, rests on a low ring foot. The rim features four vertically pierced lugs that suggest this work might have  More »

The body of this terracotta pyxis, burnished red with black swirls, rests on a low ring foot. The rim features four vertically pierced lugs that suggest this work might have once been suspended, seemingly floating in mid-air. The cover has a central knob handle to ease access to the contents once contained within. Most intriguing, the letter “H” has been scratched into the bottom of the foot. Is this letter the artist’s signature? Perhaps it is the initial of the original owner of the pyxis. In antiquity, this would have been used by women to house jewelry or other such little trinket. Even today, women continue to keep their precious treasures in luxurious containers that both protect and enhance the prestige of the items. Surely this phenomenon can trace its roots back to objects like this pyxis. Over two thousand years ago, a Greek noble lady might have safeguarded her priceless jewelry in this pyxis. However, today the pyxis has become the treasure. Although the contents it once contained have long since disappeared, the beauty and history of this pyxis astounds us in itself. Today, we appreciate it for what it is, not for what it holds. - (X.0051)   « Less

This charming flask was created in the shape of a beautiful woman’s head. She has an expressive face with fleshy cheeks and a soft smile. Her eyes are open, and appear  More »

This charming flask was created in the shape of a beautiful woman’s head. She has an expressive face with fleshy cheeks and a soft smile. Her eyes are open, and appear to stare outwards into space, as if the artist captured her in the midst of a daydream. She wears a saccos tied in her wavy hair. Who is this mysterious woman? A goddess perhaps, maybe Aphrodite? Or does she represent a more earthly entity, like a princess or a wealthy merchant’s wife? Considering that this flask was created from a mold and that there would have been multiple examples in antiquity, it is safe to assume that she must be a celebrated personality like a goddess who would have been easily recognized wherever the wares were exported.The head flask form was a remarkably popular innovation that is perhaps best represented by later Roman glass examples, which were probably influenced by terracotta predecessors such as this work. The vessel would have once contained precious substances like exotic perfumes or fragrant oils. Since the work itself is as valuable as the substances it once held inside, it is safe to assume that this flask was a prized possession of a member of the upper classes of wealthy merchants who could afford such luxuries. Today, this ancient vessel remains a treasured item, prized for its striking beauty and fascinating history. - (X.0062)   « Less

The Mycenaean culture dominated Greece during the Bronze Age with its power, art, and wealth. According to legend, the city of Mycenae was founded by the hero Perseus on the  More »

The Mycenaean culture dominated Greece during the Bronze Age with its power, art, and wealth. According to legend, the city of Mycenae was founded by the hero Perseus on the shores of the Peloponniese. A land of valiant warriors, Mycenae is celebrated by Homer as the home of Agamemnon, the heroic king who led the Greeks to victory against Troy. Furthermore, recent archaeological excavations of Mycenaean palaces attest to their wealth, described by Homer as “:Mycenae, rich in gold.” Culturally, the Mycenaeans were heavily indebted to the Minoan civilization of Crete. Noted for their utilitarian pottery, Mycenaean vessels have been excavated throughout the Mediterranean, attesting wide range of their influence on the art and commerce of the ancient world. The script of Linear B was employed by Mycenaean scribes to record their early Greek language. Linear B would replace Linear A, the script of the Minoans, on Crete, revealing that the Mycenaeans would grow to dominate the civilization they grew out of. Although the Mycenaean civilization began to mysteriously decline after the 13th Century B.C., ruins of their constructions, described as Cyclopean because early historians thought only the Cyclops was capable of building with such large boulders, survive today, testifying to the greatness of this ancient culture.   « Less

The Mycenaean culture dominated Greece during the Bronze Age with its power, art, and wealth. According to legend, the city of Mycenae was founded by the hero Perseus on the  More »

The Mycenaean culture dominated Greece during the Bronze Age with its power, art, and wealth. According to legend, the city of Mycenae was founded by the hero Perseus on the shores of the Peloponniese. A land of valiant warriors, Mycenae is celebrated by Homer as the home of Agamemnon, the heroic king who led the Greeks to victory against Troy. Furthermore, recent archaeological excavations of Mycenaean palaces attest to their wealth, described by Homer as “:Mycenae, rich in gold.” Culturally, the Mycenaeans were heavily indebted to the Minoan civilization of Crete. Noted for their utilitarian pottery, Mycenaean vessels have been excavated throughout the Mediterranean, attesting wide range of their influence on the art and commerce of the ancient world. The script of Linear B was employed by Mycenaean scribes to record their early Greek language. Linear B would replace Linear A, the script of the Minoans, on Crete, revealing that the Mycenaeans would grow to dominate the civilization they grew out of. Although the Mycenaean civilization began to mysteriously decline after the 13th Century B.C., ruins of their constructions, described as Cyclopean because early historians thought only the Cyclops was capable of building with such large boulders, survive today, testifying to the greatness of this ancient culture.   « Less

This intact vessel is crafted from a brownish-pink fabric with a slip of the same color, decorated with shiny orange to brownish-black paint. It features a narrow, closed  More »

This intact vessel is crafted from a brownish-pink fabric with a slip of the same color, decorated with shiny orange to brownish-black paint. It features a narrow, closed neck and high, narrow spout, the rim of which is angular, and its base flat. There are two strap handles attached to closed neck.The Mycenean aesthetic, bequeathed to the Greeks of the Iron Age and their Attic vase painting heirs, relies upon using decorative elements to enhance and emphasize the architectonic shape of the vessel. It is for this reason that the principle zone of ornamental decoration is reserved for the shoulder, providing the largest single and clearly define area of the vessel. There one finds two independent fields of decoration; the one exhibiting sets of elaborate triangles, the other in-filled semi-circular motifs. The concentric circular bands define the lower edge of this decorated shoulder and are used to articulate the remainder of the vessel’s body as well as its strap handles and neck. The profile of this vase and its decoration find their closest parallels in a similar stirrup vessel discovered in Tomb 115 of the cemetery of Armenoi, now in the collections of the Rethymnon Museum on Crete which is dated to the Late Mycenean III B Period, dated from about 1340 to 1190 BC. The Myceneans are celebrated in the poems Iliad and Odyssey by Homer in which they are portrayed as the protagonists in their united struggle against Troy. In their day the dominated the sea lanes of the Aegean and their cultivated products such as wine and olive oil were so highly prized that they were even exported in such stirrup jars to the court of such monarchs as Rameses II, said to be the pharaoh of the Exodus. Ministry of Culture, Hellenic Cultural Heritage S.A. Cultural Olympiad 2001-2002, Minoans and Myceneans. Flavours of Their Time (Athens 2002), page 60, catalogue 33, for the parallel in the Rethymnon Museum. - (X.0289)   « Less