Lekythos. Greece, Attica, ca. 5th century BC.

Lekythos. Greece, Attica, ca. 5th century BC.
Terracotta glazed in black and white engobe.
Slight retouches on the glaze and engobe.
Provenance: private collection acquired from the Galerie Archaïa, Lyon, 2016.
Measurements: 16.5 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.

The 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.