Urn and plate; Iberia, IV-III centuries B.C.

Urn and dish; Iberia, IV-III centuries BC.
Polychrome terracotta.
The dish has a fracture line restoration.
Measurements: 28,5 x 26 cm (diameter).
Urn and dish of Iberian origin. The globular belly urn is decorated with reddish bands. The Iberians settled in the east and south of the Iberian Peninsula, maintaining a culture and customs very different from those of the peoples of the interior. Given the extent of their territory, which extended as far as the south of France, these people received diverse influences, among which first the Phoenicians and, later, the Greeks stood out. Iberian society was strongly hierarchical, with the warrior and noble classes being the highest. The priestly class competed with it in power, and the artisans were also well considered. Among the neighboring peoples, and especially among the Greeks, the Iberian warriors were especially admired, since they threw themselves into combat without fear and resisted fighting without retreating until death, even when the battle was already decided against them. In fact, the Greeks even hired Iberian mercenaries for their own wars.