Lekythos. Apulia, second half of the 4th century BC.

Lekythos. Apulia, second half of the 4th century BC.
Terracotta glazed in black with figures in ochre and red.
Provenance: old Parisian collection; Private collection acquired at the Keramion Gallery, Paris, July 2014.
Measurements: 10 cm (height).

Lekythos made in ceramic, with cylindrical molded foot, in the form of a pedestal, stylized ovoid belly with a flat cut at the height of the shoulders and high and narrow neck, flared towards the mouth. The handle, in the form of a flat ribbon, is vertical and joins the shoulders to the middle of the neck. It is decorated with the technique of red and ochre figures, with a figurative representation in the upper area of the belly.

The lekythos or lekythos is a type of Greek pottery used to store perfumed oil for body care. This type of vessel was also widely used as funerary vessels. It is characterized by its elongated shape, narrow neck and wide mouth, which allows both limiting the flow of oil and facilitating its application.