Lower panel: banding, rays

Overview: handle rear

Overview: handle left

Shoulder: birds

Neck: floral decoration

Shoulder: birds

Collection: Cambridge, Harvard University Art Museums
Summary: Water birds on shoulder; floral ornament on neck; banding, rays.
Ware: Protoattic
Date: ca. 660 BC - ca. 640 BC
Dimensions:

H. 0.0204 m.; D. 0.0103 m.
Shape: Oinochoe
Ceramic Phase: Middle Proto-Attic
Period: Archaic

Condition:

unbroken; minor nicks and spalls on surface.

Decoration Description:

Neck Three large stylized plants, each consisting of a palmette with tall, lyre-shaped tendrils, the latter connected by horizontal stripes framing lozenges (sides) or dots (front). Smaller voluting tendrils emerge on either side of each palmette are linked to their neighbor by triple stripes. On the back are five horizontal stripes framed by paired vertical stripes. The mouth is black, and there are horizontal stripes on the handle. Body: On the shoulder are seven water birds — geese or swans — walk to the right, each preceded by a swastika at throat level and, at head level, three wavy lines possibly indicating water. The wings are incised. Below, around the middle of the body, is a broad black band framed above and below by five narrow stripes rendered with diluted, brown glaze. The black band is divided in segments by seven pairs of vertical white stripes. On the lower body is a zone of large black rays.

Shape Description:

Trefoil mouth; tall, wide neck; body narrow and tapering; simple ring foot; cylindrical handle from shoulder to rim. Chase (CVA, Fogg-Gallatin, p. 19) called this a "Phaleron jug," but these tend to be smaller and to have more conical necks.

Material Description:

Pink clay.

Collection History:

Gift of C. E. Norton and Mr. Richard Norton. Marked "Greece 1865."

Sources Used:

CVA, Fogg-Gallatin.

Other Bibliography:

CVA, Fogg-Gallatin, USA 8, 19, pl. 3,10.