Trozella; Southern Italy, Daunia or Apulia, 7th–5th centuries B.C.

Trozella; Southern Italy, Daunia or Apulia, 7th–5th centuries B.C.
Terracotta.
It exhibits calcareous concretions and earthy deposits.
Measurements: 23.5 x 18 cm (diameter).
The piece displays the characteristic profile of the trozella, defined by its two pairs of decorative discs—one located at the top of each handle and another at the bottom—a distinctive feature of this type of vessel. These forms, highly distinctive within pre-Roman Italic pottery, combine a clear functional purpose with marked symbolic significance. Trozelle frequently appear in female grave goods, where they seem to have held a meaning related to the domestic sphere, water, and ritual practices associated with the feminine world.
During the 7th through 5th centuries BCE, the pottery workshops of southern Italy developed a distinctive style, resulting from the convergence of the artisanal traditions of the Italic communities and influences from the Greek world that arrived via the extensive Mediterranean trade networks. This cultural exchange was reflected in both the forms and the ornamental repertoires, giving rise to pieces that combined functional models rooted in long-standing tradition with new aesthetic solutions inspired by Hellenic culture.