Aryballos. Attica culture, Greece, IV-III centuries B.C.

Aryballos. Attica Culture, Greece, IV-III centuries B.C.
Ceramics.
Intact.
Provenance: Georges Savès collection.
Measurements: 7 x 7,2 x 7,2 cm.

Small ceramic vessel of spheroidal shape with flat base, short neck and flat flaring rim, typologically identified as an aryballos. Decorated with glossy black engobe and incised geometric motifs forming a mesh or net pattern on the body, as well as concentric bands on the shoulder that accentuate its symmetry. This type of vessels were used to store perfumed oils, especially among Greek athletes who wore them tied to the wrist or belt with a strap.
A representative example of late Attic pottery, where decorative refinement and functionality are harmoniously integrated. Its surface shows minor signs of wear typical of time, without compromising its structural integrity.

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.