Lekitos. Attica culture, Greece, 5th century BC.

Lekitos. Attica culture, Greece, 5th century BC.
Black-figure pottery.
Intact.
Provenance: Georges Savès collection.
Measurements: 21,8 cm (height).

Elegant Attic pottery lekitos made in the technique of black figures, characteristic of the V century B.C. Its stylized cylindrical shape with narrow neck and annular base denotes a refined execution. The body is decorated with a repetitive pattern of palmettes and floral motifs in vertical bands, executed with great precision and dynamism, framed by linear details and dots. The upper part of the shoulder is adorned with a radial decoration that accentuates the transition to the neck. One of the views shows a vertical handle that connects the shoulder with the rim of the mouth, typical of this type of vessel. The preservation is exceptional, keeping intact both the shape and the original decoration.
The lekitos was used in the Greek world to contain perfumed oils, usually in ritual or funerary contexts, which underlines its functional as well as symbolic value.

This piece comes from the collection of Georges Savès (1908-1985), a French numismatist and collector with a deep vocation for archaeological study. Heir to a family tradition of collecting, he devoted himself fully to historical and numismatic research since the 1950s, especially on Toulouse and Gallic coins. Throughout his life, he assembled an eclectic collection of archaeological, ethnographic and artistic pieces, enriched in 1966 with the acquisition of part of the Roger Bédiat collection. Author of specialized studies, his legacy remains a reference in the academic and patrimonial fields.