Enochus; Southern Italy, 5th century B.C.

Enocoe; Southern Italy, 5th century B.C.
Ceramic.
Measurements: 20'5 x 14 x 17 cm.
In ancient Greece, an enócoe (oinochoe, oenochoe) was the wine jug used to serve the wine taken from the crater (where it had previously been mixed with water). This type of vessel, which ranges between 20-40 cm, usually has a single handle, and is classified into several types according to its mouth and decoration. The most common, type 1, has a trilobed spout, as seen here. This vessel is decorated with simple stripes in earth tones.
After 320 B.C. Athens no longer exported pottery, and only a few vessels were made and given as prizes to athletes in the Panathenaeans. Pottery from the Italic Peninsula then took the place of Athenian pottery in the Mediterranean market. The Italian pieces came from different centers, among them the city of Canosa, in northern Italy, often characterized by a rich polychrome ornamentation.